126 Pinoys in Thailand-Cambodia border evacuated amid tension —envoy

There were 126 Filipinos residing near the border between Thailand and Cambodia who have evacuated amid the tension between the two Southeast Asian neighbors, the Philippine envoy to Thailand said on Tuesday. 

Ambassador Millicent Cruz-Paredes said there were no Filipinos hurt amid the clash. 

“Nagkaroon ng mandatory evacuation doon sa mga communities na ‘yun nakatira sa border between Thailand and Cambodia. As of the latest count, mayroong 126 Filipinos ang nakasama doon sa mga na-evacuate na ‘yun,” she said in a televised public briefing. 

(A mandatory evacuation took place in those communities living on the border between Thailand and Cambodia. As of the latest count, there were 126 Filipinos included among those who were evacuated.) 

“Pero maganda naman ang kanilang kalagayan, wala naman sila sa panganib, hindi naman sila naiipit sa labanan, nailikas naman sila nang maaga. Sa ngayon ako natutuwa na ibalita na walang Pilipino ang nasaktan o naipit, lahat sila ay mabuti ang kalagayan,” Cruz-Parades added. 

(But they are in good condition, they are not in danger and they aren't caught in the middle of the fighting because they were evacuated early. For now, I am happy to report that no Filipino has been hurt or trapped; they are all in good condition.) 

The envoy said that there are approximately 40,000 Filipinos in the Land of Smiles, wherein 70% to 80% of them are working as teachers. 

“Karamihan sa kanila ay nasa siyudad, nandito sa Bangkok, Chiang Mai, nasa Phuket. Pero mayroon pa rin sa pitong border provinces, mayroong mga around 356, if I’m mistaken, ang nandoon sa pitong probinsya bordering Cambodia,” said Cruz-Paredes. 

(Most of them are in the cities, here in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. But there are still some in the seven border provinces—there are around 356, if I'm not mistaken, who are in the seven provinces bordering Cambodia.) 

Further, the ambassador added that some of the Filipinos who evacuated were either in government facilities, facilities offered by the private sector, or went to their kin or friends. 

“Kami po ay nakikpag-ugnayan sa kanila. Mayroon kaming ipinamahagi na survey form, kung saan pwede fill-upan nila ‘yun, ilagay nila kung nasaan sila at kung anong assistance ang kinakailangan nila ngayon,” said Cruz-Paredes.

(We are in coordination with them. We have distributed a survey form that they can fill out to indicate where they are and what assistance they need right now.) 

“So far ang mga natanggap naming tulong na pangangailangan nila ay financial assistance. Dahil karamihan sa kanila ay guro, at dahil suspended ang mga classes sa mga border provinces na ‘yun, sa kasamaang palad, ‘no work, no pay’ ang situation nila,” she said. 

(So far, the requests for help we've received are for financial assistance. Because most of them are teachers, and because classes are suspended in those border provinces, unfortunately, they are in a 'no work, no pay' situation.) 

According to a Reuters report, Cambodia and Thailand have been exchanging heavy-weapons fire at multiple points along the 817-km (508-mile) border since Monday, in some of the heaviest fighting since the five-day clash in July.

Despite US President Trump's claim that he had brokered a new ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, Caretaker Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated that Thailand would continue the fight along the disputed border. —AOL, GMA Integrated News