Border villagers in Thailand hastily sell their livestock ahead of approaching JBC negotiations, filled with apprehension about potential resurgence of conflict
Updated News Piece
Villagers Sell Cattle Equally Nervous as JBC Meeting Approaches
Our team recently visited the rustic Ban Sai Tho 11 Tai village in Baan Kruat district, Buri Ram province, which rests a stone's throw from the Thai-Cambodian border. With the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting scheduled for Phnom Penh, villagers have grown anxious about future tensions and the potential for renewed conflict.
Originally a battlefield during the 2011 skirmish between Thai and Cambodian troops, the area is once again on edge, with residents gathering together to discuss recent skirmishes near Chong Bok in Ubon Ratchathani.
The border clash on May 28 may not have escalated into full-blown warfare, but the mysterious outcome has left villagers on edge, revisiting the memories of 2011 when over a hundred shells rained down on this very region, forcing evacuations.
In preparation for any impending hostilities, families have begun selling their livestock at below-market rates, sacrificing profits rather than risk the peril of a hasty evacuation. Cattle and buffalo are being sold for an average of THB6,000-8,000 apiece, compared to the usual market price of THB10,000-20,000 based on size and age.
Moreover, some elderly villagers have started constructing simple shelters in their yards using concrete pipes and earth, acting as improvised bunkers to offer protection during any potential conflict.
As they await the meeting's outcome, the community stands in a tense state of limbo, holding their breath in hopes for peace.
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- Tags
- Buri Ram
- Thailand
- Cambodia
- livestock
- cattle
- buffalo
- conflict
- The villagers' anxiety about future tensions and potential renewed conflict, due to the approaching Joint Boundary Commission meeting, has led them to sell their cattle and buffalo at below-market rates, as they prepare for any possible hostilities.
- Amidst the tense political landscape between Thailand and Cambodia, the villagers' actions serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of war-and-conflicts and politics, as demonstrated by the impact of the ongoing border dispute on their lives.
