Minister Narumon has ordered the closure of 641 schools in five provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border, emphasizing that the safety of children and teachers must come first. The situation will be monitored before deciding on reopening if conditions improve.
At 10:00 a.m. on 8 December 2025 GMT+7, Mrs. Narumon Pinyo Sinwattana, Minister of Education, revealed that clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border have occurred in multiple areas since 7 December 2025 GMT+7. This has led security agencies to evacuate people from high-risk zones for safety, including schools in affected areas: Surin, Sisaket, Ubon Ratchathani, Buriram, and Sa Kaeo provinces.
Mrs. Narumon added that she has instructed the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to coordinate with the educational service offices in all five provinces to temporarily suspend teaching until the situation returns to normal. Currently, a total of 641 schools require temporary closure to ensure the safety of teachers, students, and educational personnel.
"The Ministry of Education is closely monitoring and assessing the situation, preparing contingency plans for possible extended closures or shifting to online learning in some areas. However, it must be stressed that the safety of students and school staff is paramount. All schools are urged to strictly enforce safety measures, prioritizing the protection of children, teachers, and the public. Once the situation improves, efforts will be made to resume classes promptly," Mrs. Narumon stated.
The schools closed in each province are as follows:
In Surin province, a total of 145 schools are closed: 123 under the Surin Primary Educational Service Area Office 3 and 22 under Office 2.
In Sisaket province, 170 schools are closed: 159 under Sisaket Primary Educational Service Area Office 4 and 11 under Office 5.
In Ubon Ratchathani province, 54 schools are closed: 50 under Ubon Ratchathani Primary Educational Service Area Office 5 and 4 in the border districts.
In Buriram province, 127 schools are closed: 65 under Buriram Primary Educational Service Area Office 2, 53 under Office 3, and an additional 9 schools under the Buriram Secondary Educational Service Area Office.
In Sa Kaeo province, 147 schools are closed: 23 under Sa Kaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 1, 117 under Office 2, and 7 under the Sa Kaeo Secondary Educational Service Area Office.