THAILAND/CAMBODIA: As pressures escalate between Thailand and Cambodia, the internet has become a gaudy, taxing place. Social media that forages on both sides of the border are inundated with nationalist mottos and calls of retribution. In many comment pieces, rage and antagonism frequently mock nuance. For those who question the urgency toward war—especially in Thailand—the response can be instantaneous and punitive.
However, beyond the uproar and viral posts, another truth exists. It is inaudible, less discernible, and with more humanity. In both countries, countless individuals are repudiating the idea that war is unavoidable. Some exclaim overtly, others act in tiny, emblematic ways, but all are pushed by the same conviction — that peace is worth protecting.
Thailand: Choosing peace in a hostile climate
On Dec 13, members of the Socialist Worker group gathered at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to call for a ceasefire and renewed negotiations. Their message was simple: The conflict does nothing for ordinary Thais and Cambodians who have lived together for generations. It only strengthens military power, while civilians pay the price.
Others have echoed this stance despite knowing it could provoke anger. Human rights lawyer and political prisoner Anon Nampa wrote on Facebook on Dec 17 that he opposed the war and stood for peace, openly acknowledging that many would disagree. Soon after, the BACC became a space for music, poetry, and art dedicated to peace—gentle reminders that conflict is not the only path forward.
Further north, the movement took on a more personal tone. In Chiang Mai, students and residents protested outside Chiang Mai University on Dec 24. One protester spoke about working alongside Cambodian colleagues and seeing no difference between them. “People are all the same,” they said. Everyone wants their children to learn, to grow up safely, and to have a future. Why should those shared hopes be destroyed by violence?
They worried about families forced to spend the New Year in shelters, about children missing out on Children’s Day because of fighting. They also pointed to another kind of harm—how online users, chasing attention and engagement, can inflame tensions without ever facing the consequences themselves.
In Khon Kaen, peace activists stood their ground outside Khon Kaen University, even when confronted by hostile passersby. Writing later on Facebook, they reflected on how strange it had become to live in a society where calling for peace was treated as something shameful. Their message was for those with the least power in the conflict: border communities and low-ranking soldiers whose lives are disrupted or put at risk by decisions made far above them.
Some acts of resistance have been deeply individual. In Phitsanulok, Professor Dr Katsuyuki Takahashi has quietly protested every day since Dec 14, holding signs and wearing placards—even while eating. Sometimes people stop and join him. In Chiang Mai, the “Stand Against Tyranny” group marked its 151st weekly gathering at Tha Pae Gate with banners reading “No War” and “War is not entertainment,” tying the call for peace to their broader struggle for justice and human rights.
Cambodia: Peace through faith, marches, and art
On Dec 13, senior monk Venerable Yon Seng Yeath urged Thai monks to appeal to their leaders to support and sustain peace arrangements, highlighting the necessity of both countries living together without dread and distress.
Days later, Phnom Penh saw a March for Peace that brought together monks, civil servants, community leaders, and ordinary citizens. Organised by the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, the march reflected a public desire—at least symbolically—for calm and coexistence.
In Siem Reap, artists chose paint over protest slogans. More than 50 artists from different provinces collaborated on a large mural at the Preah Ang Chek–Preah Ang Chom Garden, transforming a public space into a shared vision of peace. It was not loud or confrontational, but it was powerful in its own way.
The voices that refuse to disappear
Nationalist anger may dominate timelines and headlines, but it does not tell the whole story. Across Thailand and Cambodia, people remain resisting the concept that war is inescapable. They do so via demonstrations, supplications, art, music, and tiny acts of cohesion and unity.
Their speeches are more forgiving and a lot softer than the demands for retaliation, but they last. In their perseverance lies a reminder that outside of the borders, beyond flags and politics, most people need exactly the same things — security, protection, self-respect, pride, and a future where their children can grow up and flourish in their lives without fear.
War, they assert, is not a purpose, not the destiny — and peace is very much possible.
