Humanitarian Response Forum (HRF) - Situation Report 12: Cambodia-Thailand Border Situation (27 December 2025)

This report is produced by the Humanitarian Response Forum (HRF) in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It covers the period from 13– 26 Dec 2025.

Situation and Impact

The situation along the Thai border continues to deteriorate, with heavy artillery exchanges along the 800km border and worrying reports of diverse weaponry (artillery, antipersonnel mines, F-16 fighter jets, drone attacks, navy patrols) including in and around populated areas. Civilian casualties and high levels of displacement are reported. While the previous conflicts were limited to the border regions, this round of conflict has extended into areas deeper beyond the borders. This is triggering displacements of people far away from the borders, adding to the high numbers of displacement.

As of 25 December, the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) reported 644,589 people displaced (336,302 women and 204,992 children), of whom 347,346 were residing in 200 temporary sites and 297,243 staying with host communities/relatives. 30 civilian deaths and 88 injuries were reported. The humanitarian situation remains driven by uneven living conditions across sites and repeated displacements, with urgent needs consistently reported in food and nutrition, shelter and NFIs, WASH, protection and health, alongside widespread disruption to education. Further, the continuation of conflict with increased cross border shelling, planes and drones flying over and dropping bombs have immensely increased anxiety and trauma among all people in the affected areas and especially among displaced people.

Education disruption is severe: Reportedly 1,311 schools are closed, affecting an estimated 322,103 students and 15,034 teachers, with more than 90 per cent of affected students not having any access to education. Food support at most sites remains donation-dependent and varies substantially day to day; nutrition screening in 13 camps reached approximately 1,200 children under five, identifying 3.6 per cent with severe acute malnutrition and 17.5 per cent with moderate acute malnutrition. Protection concerns remain prominent, with limited screening and reporting mechanisms, and heightened risks for children, women and girls. At safe evacuation sites, shelter kits and non-food items (NFIs) remain the most urgent need, reflecting multiple displacement and loss of essential belongings, alongside ongoing WASH gaps in safe water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. Psychosocial support is increasingly being seen as a critical need and professional support is near to non-existent, except for some support provided by agencies such as TPO.