By Vijian Paramasivam
BANTEAY MEANCHEY, Cambodia, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- Cambodia is leveraging media diplomacy to draw attention to the hardships faced by thousands of its villagers caught in a border conflict with neighbouring Thailand.
Cambodia has turned to international media platforms to shed light on the often-overlooked struggles of its people living in remote, conflict-affected areas.
Last week, approximately 30 journalists from local and foreign media toured conflict-hit provinces -- Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey.
The Cambodian Ministry of Information organised the trip.
The ministry’s Undersecretary of State and Spokesman, Tep Asnarith, said the media excursion was to enable regional journalists to witness the ground realities of internally displaced people’s camps, border communities, and post-conflict areas in Cambodia’s far north.
“This aims to provide journalists with first-hand perspectives on Cambodia’s efforts to de-escalate tensions, manage hostilities and support affected communities,” Asnarith told Bernama.
Asnarith added that the conflict has not only caused devastation to Cambodian soldiers but has also gravely impacted and harmed countless Cambodian civilians who have endured unimaginable pain.
As the fourth estate, the media plays a vital role during times of conflict by shedding light on the suffering of civilians, shaping both domestic and international public opinion, and garnering support for de-escalation efforts and humanitarian assistance.
Influential media outlets and dedicated journalists have long played a crucial role in exposing the realities of war and humanitarian crises — from the Vietnam War in the 1970s and the Bosnian War in the 1990s, to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and more recently, the ongoing massacre of innocent civilians in Gaza.
“The reporting by both national and international media will help tell the truth to the world about Cambodia’s tragic plight,” said Asnarith.
The July 24 border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand displaced about 300,000 civilians along the unclear border areas of both countries.
At least 30,000 Cambodians continue to languish in the displacement camps, refusing to return to their homes, fearing renewed military skirmishes.
A ceasefire was swiftly enacted with backing from the international community, effectively ending the brief five-day confrontation.
However, stretching from rural, underdeveloped Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey, the storylines remain strikingly similar.
Stories of broken homes, abandoned rice fields, destroyed village schools and clinics, makeshift camps drenched by peak monsoon rains — with the looming threat of dengue — are increasingly making headlines.
“Cambodian families and children in these areas are stuck in the camps and suffering from the rain every day.
Our priority is to protect our local people,” Banteay Meanchey Governor Oum Reatrey told Bernama, as the monsoon rains lashed the makeshift camps crowded with women and children perched along the streets of Prey Chan village.
Banteay Meanchey is located in the northwest of Cambodia.
There is concern that other pressing regional issues - such as political uncertainty in Bangkok, civil unrest in Jakarta, and Myanmar’s ongoing civil war - could divert the media’s attention.
The writer hopes that the painful voices of displaced Cambodians will be heard in the regional politics.
-- BERNAMA
