OU CHROV, Dec 14 — At nine months pregnant, 27-year-old Suang Sreang fears she will have to give birth in a rudimentary displacement camp after fleeing fighting between Cambodian and Thai troops along their disputed border.
The Cambodian national is among tens of thousands of civilians on both sides who have fled their homes since clashes erupted on Monday (December 8) in the most intense fighting since a five-day clash in July.
"When the fighting started, I put my difficulties aside and took my children and ran away fast.
"My priority was to save myself, my children's lives. I can think of getting other things later," said the mother-of-three from Ou Beichoan commune, which borders Thailand's Sakeo province.
She added that she had left all the things she had to prepare for the new baby at home.
Cambodia and Thailand have exchanged heavy-weapons fire at multiple points along their 817km border. Hostilities spread over the weekend to the coast, with Thai Prime Minister Charnvirakul vowing to keep fighting "until we feel no more harm and threats to our land and people".
Cambodia has set up more than 100 evacuation centres across six provinces, housing around 130,000 people. However, according to aid group World Vision's national director Janes Imanuel Ginting, the scale and speed of the displacement have created shortages of food, shelter, drinking water, and sanitation facilities.
Oddar Meanchey province governor Mean Chanyada said that donations, including food, were coming from local private companies and charities. Several of the camps are located in his province.
"We have each other in a difficult situation. And hope one day the problem will be resolved.
"We need peace," Mean said.
From the hot, crowded camp where she and her family are sheltering under a tarpaulin, Suang Sreang said she could hear the sound of fighting when she closed her eyes.
"Everyone keeps running to different places, so I really do not know where to go to deliver this baby. I fear that I may have to deliver the baby here in the tent," she said.
