Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes announced that 110 Filipinos living in Thailand’s border provinces have been evacuated due to renewed armed clashes over a disputed boundary.
In a radio interview on Wednesday, December 10, Paredes said Thai authorities began evacuating thousands of residents along the border on Sunday, December 7.
“No Filipino is in danger,” she assured. She noted that the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with foreign ambassadors and diplomats to coordinate evacuation efforts.
The fighting intensified recently over territory, a conflict that started in July, she added.
On Monday, December 8, the Philippine embassies in Thailand and Cambodia advised Filipinos near the borders to stay vigilant, ensure their safety, and report their whereabouts.
Both embassies continue to monitor the situation closely and are ready to assist any Filipinos in need.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 Filipinos reside in Cambodia, including 87 in its border provinces, while Thailand has 38,509 Filipinos, with 125 in seven border provinces.
Paredes said the ongoing 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok are unlikely to be affected, as the capital is far from the border. However, Cambodia announced on Wednesday its withdrawal from the SEA Games due to safety concerns and requests from athletes’ families.
Officials reported at least 11 deaths, including Thai soldiers and Cambodian civilians, while more than 500,000 have fled border regions where jets, tanks, and drones are engaged in fighting.
The dispute involves colonial-era demarcation along the 800-kilometer frontier, with competing claims to historic temples spilling into armed conflict.
Both sides blame each other for reigniting hostilities, which have expanded to five provinces in each country.
Thai authorities have moved more than 400,000 people to safe shelters across seven provinces.
In Cambodia, over 101,000 people have been evacuated to temples and relatives’ homes. Locals describe intense shelling, with some building makeshift bunkers for protection.
The United States, China, and Malaysia previously brokered a ceasefire in July, and a follow-up declaration was signed in October, but Thailand suspended the agreement the following month.
US President Donald Trump said he planned to intervene diplomatically regarding the renewed clashes. With AFP
