SURIN – Escalating conflict along the Thai-Cambodian border has compelled hundreds of thousands of Thai residents to evacuate from their homes since Monday. Once vibrant, these communities now lie eerily quiet, their silence broken only by the distant echoes of gunfire across the fields.

Despite the looming threat, a handful of residents in several villages, typically home to a few hundred inhabitants, have opted to remain. Undeterred by the ongoing danger, they continue to hold their ground.

In a village within Buriram province, situated approximately 10 kilometers from the border, Somjai Kraiprakon and about 20 of her neighbors have taken up positions around a roadside home, vigilantly monitoring the area. Designated as Village Security Volunteers by the local government, their mission is to protect the vacated homes after the mass exodus of residents, especially since security personnel in the area are fewer than usual.

This recent surge of violence dismantled a ceasefire orchestrated by U.S. President Donald Trump, which had briefly paused five days of hostilities in July arising from age-old territorial disputes. By Saturday, the renewed conflict had claimed the lives of around two dozen individuals.

At a central point in the village, which now serves as a hub for gathering, cooking, and sleeping, the sound of explosions is a constant presence, with the ever-present danger of stray munitions landing nearby. Somjai, largely unperturbed by the noise, takes cover in a makeshift bunker only when the blasts are uncomfortably close. This shelter, constructed from large precast concrete drainage pipes fortified with dirt, sandbags, and car tires, offers a semblance of protection.

Somjai joined the ranks of volunteers shortly after the skirmishes in July. The 52-year-old underwent a three-day training program organized by the district administration, covering firearm use and patrol methods, before her appointment in November. These village guards are authorized to carry weapons supplied by the relevant authorities.

The army has emphasized the importance of volunteers like Somjai in this new phase of fighting, saying they help “provide the highest possible confidence and safety for the public.”

According to the army, volunteers “conduct patrols, establish checkpoints, stand guard inside villages, protect the property of local people, and monitor suspicious individuals who may attempt to infiltrate the area to gather intelligence.”

Somjai said the volunteer team performs all these duties, keeping close watch on strangers and patrolling at night to discourage thieves from entering abandoned homes. Her main responsibility, however, is not monitoring threats but caring for about 70 dogs left behind in the community.

“This is my priority. The other things I let the men take care of them. I’m not good at going out patrolling at night. Fortunately I’m good with dogs,” she said, adding that she first fed a few using her own money, but as donations began coming in, she was able to expand her feeding efforts.

In a nearby village, chief Praden Prajuabsook sat with about a dozen members of his village security team along a roadside in front of a local school. Around there, most shops were already closed and few cars could be seen passing once in a while.

Wearing navy blue uniforms and striped purple and blue scarves, the men and women chatted casually while keeping shotguns close and watching strangers carefully. Praden said the team stationed at different spots during the day, then started patrolling when night fell.

He noted that their guard duty is around the clock, and it comes with no compensation and relies entirely on volunteers. “We do it with our own will, for the brothers and sisters in our village,” he said.

Beyond guarding empty homes, Praden’s team, like Somjai, also ensures pets, cattle and other animals are fed. During the day, some members ride motorbikes from house to house to feed pigs, chickens and dogs left behind by their owners.

Although his village is close to the battlegrounds, Praden said he is not afraid of the sounds of fighting.

“We want our people to be safe… we are willing to safeguard the village for the people who have evacuated,” he said.