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In late July 2025, fighting broke out along the Thailand-Cambodia border. Within just five days, at least 38 people were killed, including children, and more than 300,000 were forced to flee their homes. Schools were hit. Homes were destroyed. Entire towns emptied almost overnight. For many of those affected, it was about survival. Families packed what they could and ran, unsure if they’d return to anything. Children were pulled from classrooms and placed in makeshift shelters, with little access to food, clean water, or medical care. How Did It Get So Bad, So Fast? This wasn’t a sudden burst of violence. It was decades worth of tension. At the centre of the dispute is Preah Vihear, an ancient temple perched on the border between Thailand and Cambodia. Though the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, Thailand contests the land around it. The lines drawn during the colonial era remain fuzzy and bitterly disputed. Fighting broke out previously in 2008–2011, but 2025’s violence marked the worst since then. May to July: From Rumblings to Rockets May 28, 2025 A Cambodian soldier was killed during a skirmish near the disputed Emerald Triangle. Both sides blamed each other. Cambodia accused Thailand of aggression. Thailand said Cambodia planted landmines. June to Early July Cambodia banned Thai imports and suspended tourism. Thai soldiers were injured in fresh landmine explosions. Leaders traded barbed remarks. Trust disappeared. July 24 to July 28, 2025 Cambodian forces fired BM-21 rockets into Thai provinces. Thailand retaliated with F-16 airstrikes and heavy shelling. Entire border communities became war zones. Over 38 lives were lost. Thousands of homes were damaged. Entire towns were emptied, and children were caught in the chaos. Children Always Lose in War Image credit: Reuters We often say children are the future. But during conflict, they are the first to suffer and we've seen this everywhere! In just five days these happened: An 8-year-old boy in Surin, Thailand, was killed when artillery struck his home. Komsan Prachan, a Thai father, lost his wife and two children - a 14-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son - while escaping. They were hit near a gas station. A school in Oddar Meanchey (Cambodia) was destroyed by bombing. Others were shuttered indefinitely. Clinics and health centres near the border were damaged or abandoned, leaving expecting mothers and babies with nowhere to turn. Over 130,000 evacuees, many of them children, now live in makeshift shelters with little food, clean water, or medical care. Malaysia’s Role: Peace Begins at the Table Image credit: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook On July 28, Malaysia stepped in. As chair of ASEAN, our government hosted emergency peace talks in Putrajaya. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with leaders from both Thailand and Cambodia. After hours of intense negotiation, both sides agreed to an unconditional ceasefire. The violence stopped at midnight that same day. Malaysia didn’t just call for peace - we brokered it. While the status of the ceasefire remains hanging, it remains a reminder of the role we can play in shaping a safer Southeast Asia, especially for the smallest, most vulnerable among us. What Families Need Now Image credit: Anwar Ibrahim on Facebook The ceasefire may have ended the fighting but not the suffering. These families, especially mothers and children, need: Safe shelters and proper sanitation Access to healthcare and trauma support Food, milk, clean water Schools to reopen and provide some form of normalcy Help rebuilding homes and lives Today, with everything that we see on the news, it’s easy to scroll past conflict news thinking, “It’s not our problem.” But as parents, this moment is a reminder that every child is our child. When a child cries out for help, it could just as easily be our own making; their safety becomes our shared responsibility. The ceasefire is holding for now, but tensions remain high. Until peace is permanent, families at the border are still holding their breath. Note: All information in this article is accurate at the time of publication. Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner. For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!

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