Participants in an anti-war concert in Bangkok lit candles in the shape of a peace sign in memory of the lives lost in the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict and to call for peace. Photo from the Facebook post of Prachatai, a content partner of Global Voices.
This article was published by Prachatai, an independent news site in Thailand. An edited version has been republished by Global Voices under a content-sharing agreement.
Between July and May 2025, tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over a border dispute devolved into violence that left at least 43 dead on both sides, dozens injured, and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. Despite signing a ceasefire agreement on July 28, hostility has remained deeply embedded in both countries, fueled by misinformation. Amidst the turmoil, Cambodians and Thais have come together to launch a cross-border campaign aimed at combating hatred and promoting empathy and lasting peace.
Thailand and Cambodia share over 700 kilometres of border, where several undemarcated sections have been long-standing sources of conflict between the two countries, since the Preah Vihear dispute beginning in the 1950s, to this year when clashes broke out on May 28th and led to fatalities on July 24th. On top of that, the countries also share historical and cultural ties, which have complicated the tensions between them, leading to deep-rooted hostility between the two peoples.
Hostility skyrocketed after the July 24 armed conflict as the conflict between the two governments trickled down to all facets of society. Cambodian and Thai netizens traded accusations on who initiated the clashes.
“We see all the problems start to unfold, and when hatreds, prejudice, and discrimination on people’s level have gone online, it was even more devastating for us, and that’s why we decided to come together on the Cambodian side to rally among ourselves,” said Lim Solinn, a Cambodian social activist and artist. She later reached out to friends in Thailand in different places and then stumbled upon a group of Thai people who are a network of solidarity.
Ou Tepphallin, a Cambodian labor rights activist and campaign co-organizer, said she joined the campaign to address the suffering of migrant workers and communities caught in the crossfire of recent tensions, particularly Cambodian workers in Thailand and Thai workers in Cambodia.
They faced physical violence and racism, and they were living with fear, so their voices were unheard. On top of that, children living along the border have lost opportunities to study due to the closure of border crossings. Family members were separated, such as a child whose mother was in Thailand but whose father was in Phnom Penh, and they have no idea when they can be reunited.
In addition, according to the Thai authorities, the conflict since July 24th has also caused over 500,000 Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand to return home, since most of them felt unsafe and threatened in Thailand.