Border Residents Rush for Cash Aid

BURIRAM, Oct 7 (TNA) - Residents displaced by recent fighting on the Thai-Cambodian border are flocking to banks to withdraw government aid.

Long lines formed at ATMs of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) in border provinces after the promised 2,000 to 5,000 baht ($61-$153) relief payments were finally transferred. Some villagers in Buri Ram began queuing at 1:00 a.m. to ensure they secured the cash before starting their workday.

"I will buy rice and essentials," one resident said. Others voiced deep anxiety, stating they were reserving funds for gasoline and supplies to flee again if clashes with Cambodian troops resumed.

To handle the demand, the BAAC manager in Buri Ram’s Ban Kruat district confirmed the bank had secured a 30 million baht cash reserve for the week.

Similar scenes were reported in Surin and Si Sa Ket, where thousands gathered at banks like the BAAC and Government Savings Bank (GSB) to receive the lifeline. Many expressed relief, saying the money was crucial for their families after the conflict disrupted their ability to earn a living.

In Si Sa Ket’s Phoo Sing district, where 13,559 people qualified for aid, officials noted that while the fighting had subsided, residents remained fearful and vigilant along the frontier.

Separately, 51-year-old volunteer runner Abdul Sareeteh, or "Bang Dul," is continuing his "Run for the Nation" mission. He aims to run over 1,700 kilometers through 60 provinces to raise 100,000 baht to help fund a new Thai-Cambodian border barrier.

Bang Dul, who started in Pattani, is currently in Trang province and is scheduled to meet his fundraising goal before handing the collected money over to the regional military command. -819 (TNA)

($1 = approximately 32 Thai Baht)