Don Bosco Poipet Closed as Border Conflict Displaces Thousands

Don Bosco Poipet Closed 
as Border Conflict Displaces Thousands

(ANS – Poipet, Cambodia – December 16, 2025) – Don Bosco School in Poipet has remained closed indefinitely since December 9 as fighting along the Cambodia-Thailand border continues to escalate. The closure comes amid one of the most serious flare-ups in recent years, with heavy clashes displacing thousands of civilians on both sides of the border, reported The Star CNA.

According to Cambodian authorities, border provinces such as Banteay Meanchey and Oddar Meanchey have seen large-scale evacuations, with families fleeing artillery fire and aerial strikes. Reports indicate that around half a million people have been displaced across both countries since the renewed fighting began, wrote CNA. Many Cambodian families have sought refuge in pagodas, schools, and temporary shelters, where conditions remain difficult.

Impact on Don Bosco Students and Families

The Don Bosco community has been directly affected. From December 9 to 14, staff at Don Bosco Poipet reported continuous sounds of shelling audible from inside the school compound, prompting an immediate suspension of all activities. Most hostel students have returned to their families, while others have relocated to relatives’ homes in safer areas.

Oddar Meanchey Province—one of the regions most affected by the conflict—is home to many Don Bosco resident students. Several have now been displaced for a second or third time, mirroring the wider pattern of repeated evacuations reported across the border region, said the The Star.

School staff have also been impacted, with some families now staying in refugee camps where shelter, sanitation, and communication remain limited. In several cases, family members were unable to contact one another for 48 to 72 hours after fleeing.

Government Measures and Overcrowded Schools

In response to the crisis, the Cambodian government issued an official directive allowing displaced students to temporarily enroll in nearby public schools to avoid interruptions to their education. Many of these schools are overcrowded and lack sufficient space, however, making it difficult to accommodate the sudden influx of learners.

Despite security restrictions preventing Salesians and staff from traveling to the conflict zones, Don Bosco Poipet continues to maintain regular communication with students and families, monitoring their safety and needs.

Humanitarian Concerns for Children and Farmers

The conflict has severely affected children, displaced farmers, and rural families, many of whom have lost access to farmland, livestock, and stable income. Reports from Siem Reap and Banteay Meanchey show families fleeing multiple times as fighting intensifies, with some shelters dismantled and rebuilt repeatedly as artillery fire approaches, according to The Star.

Cambodian authorities and local volunteers have mobilized to provide food, temporary shelter, and transport for evacuees, though needs continue to grow as the conflict enters its second week with no ceasefire in sight, wrote The Diplomat.

Don Bosco Cambodia Calls for International Support and Peace

Don Bosco Cambodia is appealing to the international community, partner organizations, and benefactors to assist families of displaced students—especially those now living in temporary camps or without stable housing. Support is urgently needed for food, shelter, transportation, school materials, and psychosocial assistance.

The Salesian community also renews its call for peace, urging all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians—especially children—and to pursue dialog to end the violence. As a Catholic educational mission serving vulnerable youth, Don Bosco Cambodia emphasizes that education, safety, and human dignity must remain above conflict.

Empty classrooms at Don Bosco School