Some villagers in Ban Kruat District, Buriram Province, who have not evacuated to shelters have invested in building underground bunkers. They declared their intent to stand firm and support community leaders and the Volunteer Defense Corps in maintaining village security, while urging soldiers to fight wholeheartedly to preserve the nation's sovereignty as a New Year gift to the Thai people.
On 12 Dec 2025 GMT+7, reporters covering the clashes near the Thai-Cambodian border on the Ban Kruat side of Buriram Province reported that sounds of fighting continue intermittently from the Surin Province border area. Some local villagers who have not evacuated to shelters remain due to concern for their property, homes, and livestock. They invested in buying cement pipes and hiring excavators and six-wheel trucks to dig soil beside their gardens to create bunkers as emergency shelters. They also loaded essential supplies into vehicles to prepare for any escalation of the situation.
Mr. Phon Nontabot, 52, a villager from Ban Kruat District, Buriram Province, said he was unable to evacuate to a shelter, so he hired vehicles and purchased materials to build an underground bunker. In case of unsafe situations during heavy clashes, the bunker would serve as a refuge for himself and neighbors. This precautionary measure is hoped to be unnecessary if the situation does not worsen.