The Pô Cô River, which marks part of the border, has become both a dividing line and a point of connection. Shared language, customs and kinship among the Jrai people on both sides have fostered relationships that evolve into families spanning two nations.
Local authorities report that Ia O is home to 34 Vietnamese-Cambodian dual-nationality families, with 20 households residing in Vietnam and 14 in Cambodia. However, nine cases lack complete identification documents, complicating travel, access to public services and state management.
According to Phan Đình Thắm, Chairman of the Ia O Commune People’s Committee, missing documentation affects not only daily life but also healthcare, education and social welfare access, while posing risks to border security and population management. Birth registration for children in such families remains particularly problematic, limiting long-term opportunities.
Authorities are now intensifying efforts to address these issues, including public awareness campaigns on legal procedures, comprehensive data reviews and coordination with relevant agencies to support residents in completing civil and residency documentation.
Despite these challenges, cross-border relationships continue to thrive.
Many of these unions begin through family visits and cultural exchanges. Ksor Đam and Rơ Chăm Hưn, for example, met in 2008 when Hưn travelled from Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province to Ia O.
After multiple visits across the river, he proposed, determined to “become a Vietnamese son-in-law”. The couple overcame concerns about distance and administrative barriers to build a family with three children.
Similarly, Rơ Chăm Băn and Puih Bleo’s relationship developed through cross-border visits during festivals. Though initially hindered by family concerns and immigration procedures, Băn eventually moved permanently to Ia O in 2012. The couple established their livelihood with land provided by Bleo’s family and now raise two children.
Other relationships have emerged from shared hardship. Rơ Châm Đoan met Puih Chĩn, a single mother, in 2011 and offered to relocate and support her family. Together, they built a stable life cultivating nearly two hectares of cashew trees and raising four children.
In another case, Ksor Le and Rơ Mah Thiêng, both having experienced personal loss, met during a traditional ceremony and formed a new family grounded in mutual understanding.
Across these stories, cultural commonality has eased acceptance of cross-border marriages within the community. Families spanning Vietnam and Cambodia are increasingly seen as bridges that strengthen ties between border populations.
While life in Ia O remains marked by economic hardship and administrative complexity, these cross-border unions continue to endure, contributing to social cohesion and cultural continuity along the Pô Cô River.