Khmer soldiers accused Thai soldiers of destruction of forests near Preah Vihear temple

Thai soldiers built their camps inside Khmer territories near Preah Vihear temple on 18th August 2008.

By Sav Yuth
30th October, 2008
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Cambodian soldiers said that hundreds of trees near the sites where Thai soldiers set up their camps have been destroyed by Thai soldiers because they cut down the trees to use them to cover their trenches to protect themselves from artillery shells should fighting break out.

A Khmer soldier stationing near the Preah Vihear temple said on 30th October that hundreds of trees the size of human thighs were cut down to build their trenches which made the dense and forested jungle become barren like an empty field. He said: "The trees are the sizes of our thighs. They said that the areas belong to them too so they cut down all the trees, even the ones opposite us. They cut down the trees next to their frontlines."

In regard to the Cambodian allegations, a Thai border official said that he did not receive any information about this matter yet.

A Thai border official based at Sisaket, Mr. Svang Prachumwong, said that he did not know clearly about the issue, but said that he went to the border areas very often and saw that not only Thai soldiers, but Cambodian soldiers also, cut down the trees. He added that they only cut down small trees.

A Khmer border official said that, while the border issues are not yet resolved, the cutting down of the trees are forbidden.

Mr. Var Kim Hong, chairman of the Cambodian Border Committee, said that he did not see with his own eyes about the forest destruction by the Thai soldiers. But if large numbers of trees were cut down by the Thai soldiers, it would be a violation of the joint Memorandum of Understanding on border issues, signed by both countries in 2000 to maintain the status quo.

Mr. Var Kim Hong said: " I did not see with my own eyes but if the allegations are true then it would be a violation of article 5 of the joint Memorandum of Understanding of 2000 because we promised to maintain the status quo, and not to change anything."

Cambodian soldiers said that since troops were sent to occupy Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda on the 15th of July, many Thai troops have set up camps opposite the Preah Vihear temple and they have cut down many trees to build their camps or to use as firewoods. They said that some high quality hardwood have been cut down to make axe handles or even cut down into small pieces and put in their knapsacks and took with them to Thailand.

Since 1997, Cambodia has banned logging which has seriously destroyed the environments and perpetrators of forest destruction will be severely punished by laws.//