While clashes continue along the Thailand-Cambodia border, evacuees at a temporary shelter in Sisaket are staying in tents and left in limbo as they said they received no assistance other than their stay at the shelter and are unsure of the future.

At a temporary shelter in Si Saket, families are staying in tents scattered around the ground of a temple. (Photo taken on 23 December 2025)

“They told me to stay here for countdown. Is that right?” said 64-year-old Nuan Kaewphakdee when asked if her family would be able to come home for the upcoming New Year holiday.

After receiving an evacuation order due to renewed armed clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border, Nuan left her home in Sao Thong Chai Subdistrict in Sisaket’s Kantharalak District, along with her husband and granddaughter. They are now staying at a temporary evacuation centre in Si Saket.

The centre, located in a temple, now houses over 2000 evacuees from Sao Thong Chai. Families are placed in tents scattered around temple ground. Nuan’s family spent 1000 baht for two tents, as well as an extra blanket as the blankets they brought with them were not enough to keep out the cold. While the centre provides 3 meals a day, they still have to buy cleaning products and other personal care items like laundry detergents, soap, and shampoo.

The money might not seem like a large amount when compared to the cost of a camping trip, but the expense is a burden for two elderly daily wage workers like Nuan and her husband.

63-year-old Siracha Kraturoek, Nuan’s husband, said that they usually take jobs around the village, such as planting potatoes or harvesting rice. Nuan sells vegetables at the local market every Wednesday and Saturday. After covering routine expenses, what remains of their income goes toward supporting their granddaughter, who is in Mathayom 2 (Year 8).

This family left home on 7 December. Other than their stay at the centre, they said that they have not received other assistance. Nuan and Siracha said that, during the last phase of the conflict, donations were pouring into evacuation centres. Now, there is very little. They would be given a packet of instant noodle a day if they get to it fast enough. They also said that they are spending around 100 baht per day staying in the centre while making no income. They are unsure how long they will be able to afford to stay and what to do next.

When asked about compensation from the government, Nuan said that, during the last clashes, each family got 5000 baht regardless of the number of family members. She said that her sister, with 8 people in her family, also got 5000 baht.

“How will that be enough? They should compensate per person,” she said.

This time, Nuan said, it’s worse. Not only is she not making money staying at the evacuation centre, she was told that the caretaker government could not approve a budget to compensate evacuees.

Nuan is longing to go home. Although she and her husband have no livestock or land, she has 10 cats – all abandoned strays she has been caring for.

“They announced we are strictly forbidden from going back to the area. I have no idea how the cats are doing,” Nuan said.