Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports released updated statistics on December 17th, showing that the ongoing Thai military offensive has led to unrest in seven provinces bordering Thailand, forcing the emergency closure of 1,091 schools.
According to the Ministry of Education, this large-scale school closure has disrupted the studies of 254,480 students and severely impacted the work and lives of 11,922 teachers. Educational order in border areas has been paralyzed, and relevant departments are closely monitoring the situation to assess subsequent compensatory teaching plans.
Separately, the Ministry of Interior released a new report on the same day, stating that as of the afternoon of the 17th, the number of Cambodian civilians displaced by the conflict had surged to 447,509. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 17 civilians (including an infant) and injuries to 77 others. The Thai military operation has caused extensive damage to civilian homes, temples, and medical centers, creating a severe humanitarian situation.
Since December 7, Thai forces have launched armed attacks on Cambodian territory, continuously expanding their military operations deep into Cambodian territory.
According to firsthand reports, the Thai side used heavy weapons, F-16 fighter jets, artillery, and even toxic gases in the operations. Faced with this military provocation, the Cambodian government stated that after exercising maximum restraint for over 24 hours, it had no choice but to take necessary self-defense actions in accordance with the law to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Currently, relevant Cambodian government departments are fully engaged in disaster relief efforts, resettling displaced people, and calling on the international community to pay attention to Thailand's aggression that violates international law.
