Authorities in Thailand have ordered the urgent evacuation of residents in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province, following an incident in which rockets fired from Cambodia landed in civilian areas rather than military conflict zones, sowing fear among local communities.
Local officials on December 21, 2025, issued evacuation orders after multiple explosions were reported in the vicinity of Rong Kluea Market. More than ten loud blasts were heard during the afternoon, prompting shopkeepers and residents to quickly close their businesses and remove belongings from the area. According to local merchants, the sounds—over ten in total, including an initial volley of six—were significantly closer than previous border skirmishes, causing heightened alarm.
Eyewitnesses noted a steady stream of residents leaving the area, loading possessions onto sidecar motorcycles and pickup trucks and creating heavy outbound traffic from Aranyaprathet toward safer destinations.
The municipal government of Aranyaprathet issued an emergency evacuation order, confirming that Cambodia had fired BM-21 rockets into civilian zones amid ongoing unrest near the Thai-Cambodian border. Residents within the municipality and neighboring districts were advised to evacuate immediately to designated shelters, with transportation coordinated from the Siam Min grounds for those without vehicles.
At 3:30 pm local time, Thailand’s First Army Region Command issued a public notice urging people in Sa Kaeo province—specifically the border districts of Ta Phraya, Khok Sung, Aranyaprathet, and Khlong Hat—to avoid their homes and relocate to government-arranged safe zones until further notice. The announcement follows ongoing military engagement by Thai forces in response to Cambodian attacks in these districts.
Authorities called on residents to follow official updates closely and adhere to safety directives to minimize risk.
