Poipet and Battambang, Cambodia — As Cambodia prepares for Christmas celebrations, the atmosphere in border provinces is marked by sorrow rather than joy. Renewed hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand since 7 December have forced thousands of families to flee, leaving classrooms empty and communities fractured.

In Poipet, less than three kilometres from the frontier, the Don Bosco School has remained closed since 9 December. The city itself is nearly deserted, with only a few residents staying behind to protect property. Fr. Michael Gaikwad, SDB, remains inside the empty school, safeguarding the premises. Nearby, two sisters of the Missionary Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Sr. Gomi Gamit and Sr. Helen Menezes and parist priest Fr. Stephanus Winarto, SJ, are also in their convents. Efforts to evacuate them have been complicated by a strict curfew, making movement across the city extremely difficult. “Poipet is silent… no shelling since 11PM” said Fr. Michael Gaikwad at the moment of the redaction of this note.

“This year, our preparations are marked by sorrow,” wrote Fr Eugene Xalxo, Salesian Delegate in Cambodia, in a Christmas message. “For thousands of children, school has been interrupted; for the elderly, this displacement feels like a painful echo of past exoduses during the Pol Pot regime.”

Across Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Koh Kong, Pursat, and even Siem Reap, teachers and students have been uprooted. Many staff members and their families are now in temporary shelters. Reports from Banteay Meanchey confirm that schools such as Banteay Meanrith Primary were damaged by Thai airstrikes earlier this week. In Battambang, classrooms stand empty as families seek safety further inland.

The Cambodian government, humanitarian groups, and the Catholic Church have mobilised aid, offering food, shelter, and psychological support. Fr Xalxo emphasised that Don Bosco and the wider Church remain committed to accompanying displaced families: “We are deeply committed to ensuring that families receive the support they need.”

Thai Civilians Also Affected

On the Thai side, civilians have not been spared. Displaced families in Buriram province were seen receiving food at temporary shelters on 16 December. The UN has warned that airstrikes and artillery fire have damaged homes and cultural sites, with at least one civilian death reported in Thailand. In Surin, houses were struck by shelling on 19 December.

ASEAN foreign ministers, meeting in Kuala Lumpur earlier this week, urged both nations to exercise “maximum restraint” and ensure civilians can return to their homes “in safety and dignity”. Ceasefire talks are scheduled for 24 December in Chanthaburi province, Thailand, at the moment of the redaction of this note.

A Christmas of Hope and Prayer

Despite the violence, Cambodian communities are determined to mark Christmas in prayer and solidarity. Fr Xalxo’s message invoked the words of Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” He called on friends and confreres worldwide to pray for displaced families and for children longing to return to school.

“HOPE is the inner sunlight that keeps us moving even through dark clouds,” he wrote. “May the birth of Christ renew our courage, strengthen our faith, and inspire us to be bearers of light for one another.”

For families in Poipet and Battambang, that hope is tempered by uncertainty. With schools closed, homes abandoned, and even priests unable to leave under curfew, the future of education for thousands of children hangs in the balance.