Prayers for Peace in a Region Still Shaken by Conflict In Phnom Penh, villagers gathered on May 21 to celebrate an ancient festival that has become increasingly relevant in regional geopolitics.
The Cambodian avatars, dressed in leaf skirts and with faces painted to depict mythical spirits, danced through village streets, praying for rain, good fortune, and peace with neighboring Thailand.
The fragile ceasefire between the two countries, agreed upon in December 2025 after rounds of border clashes that claimed dozens of lives, hangs precariously in the balance.