Phl envoy: No OFWs harmed in Thailand-Cambodia border clashes
THAI Border Patrol Police (BPP) and police facing Cambodian people in a disputed area along the Cambodia-Thailand border in Sa Kaeo province. Thai forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas during a stand-off with Cambodian protesters along their disputed border on September 17, Bangkok's military said, a move that Phnom Penh stated injured more than 20 people. Thai Army personnel were laying barbed wire on the border in Sa Kaeo when around 200 Cambodians gathered to protest, the Thai military said in a statement.
Photo courtesy of a Handout / ROYAL THAI ARMY / AFP
Despite several clashes stemming from the Thailand-Cambodia territorial dispute, no Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) has been harmed in Thailand, Philippine Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes confirmed on Thursday.
“No Filipinos were trapped, no Filipinos were hurt. They were all evacuated peacefully and no one is asking for repatriation,” Paredes told DAILY TRIBUNE Thursday afternoon.
“Those who live along the border have been evacuated. Some of them are in evacuation centers, others are staying with friends,” she added.
Surin, Buri Ram, Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces in Thailand are among the areas affected by the clashes.
An estimated 40,000 Filipinos live in Thailand, most of whom work as English teachers.
According to Paredes, 163 Filipinos have been provided with financial assistance, and as of this writing, the embassy has yet to activate a contingency plan.
“There is always a contingency plan in case something happens here. But right now, we don't see any need, nor is anyone asking for repatriation,” she said.
“Whatever their needs are right now, everything is being assessed, everything is being addressed,” she added.
Paredes advised Filipinos in Thailand to avoid affected areas, exercise extreme caution, and follow directives from Thai authorities.
She also urged Filipinos to report their whereabouts to the Philippine Embassy, noting the importance of the embassy’s Facebook-based registry for OFWs, which allows easier reporting and assistance in case of emergencies.