Far from the escarpment of Preah Vihear temple, above, villagers on a quiet front near Anlong Veng say they've had their homes destroyed.By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Oddar Meanchey province
02 October 2008
The knocked-down houses of five families near the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng speak to the quiet consequences of a stubborn military standoff well into its 11th week.
Far from the Preah Vihear starting point of the standoff, families along the border in Oddar Meanchey province have seen their small homes destroyed by Thai troops.
"Some of [the soldiers] came with knives and axes, and with guns," said one woman, who spoke anonymously. "I wanted to enter my house to pick up some clothes and other things. They said to me, 'pai, pai'"—go, go—"and they pointed their weapons at me. Other people wanted to take a photo, and they pointed their weapons at them too."
Two families were former Khmer Rouge; three families had breadwinners working as porters, moving goods back and forth between Thailand and Cambodia. All of the families said they were settled in their small wooden homes near the border when the standoff began July 15, 100 kilometers to the east.
During the height of the standoff, some Anlong Veng villagers fled the area. They are back now, but villagers still worry about the unresolved situation.
"I think this is Cambodian territory, and this is the heritage of Cambodia. If we leave, that means the Thais will continue to enter," said the woman, the mother of two children and who works as a porter at the Choam Srangam border crossing in Anglong Veng.
The destruction of the homes, on Sept. 15, sparked no conflict between the hundreds of Thai and Cambodian soldiers that had already been deployed to the area.
"Around 500 Thai soldiers were deployed in this area, and after [the destruction] I saw 200 more," said a Cambodian soldier on the border who spoke on condition of anonymity. "That means they are more than Cambodian forces. They are deployed some in the front and some four or five kilometers from the front."
Cambodian soldiers said they were outnumbered by the Thais but remained committed to protecting this small patch of jungle, where dense forest limits visibility but where small groups of Thai soldiers appear, occasionally, in the distance.
Villager Pan Deun said he had seen Thai soldiers hiding in the forest, some times more than others, and had seen a "large canon," or artillery, pulled by military truck in Thai territory.
Cambodian troops were posted in the forest along the border as well, but here, in an area without temples, the deployment is quieter than at Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples, farther to the west.
"Thai soldiers do a rotation and patrol regularly," said Capt. Pen Sameoun, of Border Unit 403, near Anglong Veng. "They make some things complicated, abusing Cambodian territory. But we can talk and settle things."
Far from the Preah Vihear starting point of the standoff, families along the border in Oddar Meanchey province have seen their small homes destroyed by Thai troops.
"Some of [the soldiers] came with knives and axes, and with guns," said one woman, who spoke anonymously. "I wanted to enter my house to pick up some clothes and other things. They said to me, 'pai, pai'"—go, go—"and they pointed their weapons at me. Other people wanted to take a photo, and they pointed their weapons at them too."
Two families were former Khmer Rouge; three families had breadwinners working as porters, moving goods back and forth between Thailand and Cambodia. All of the families said they were settled in their small wooden homes near the border when the standoff began July 15, 100 kilometers to the east.
During the height of the standoff, some Anlong Veng villagers fled the area. They are back now, but villagers still worry about the unresolved situation.
"I think this is Cambodian territory, and this is the heritage of Cambodia. If we leave, that means the Thais will continue to enter," said the woman, the mother of two children and who works as a porter at the Choam Srangam border crossing in Anglong Veng.
The destruction of the homes, on Sept. 15, sparked no conflict between the hundreds of Thai and Cambodian soldiers that had already been deployed to the area.
"Around 500 Thai soldiers were deployed in this area, and after [the destruction] I saw 200 more," said a Cambodian soldier on the border who spoke on condition of anonymity. "That means they are more than Cambodian forces. They are deployed some in the front and some four or five kilometers from the front."
Cambodian soldiers said they were outnumbered by the Thais but remained committed to protecting this small patch of jungle, where dense forest limits visibility but where small groups of Thai soldiers appear, occasionally, in the distance.
Villager Pan Deun said he had seen Thai soldiers hiding in the forest, some times more than others, and had seen a "large canon," or artillery, pulled by military truck in Thai territory.
Cambodian troops were posted in the forest along the border as well, but here, in an area without temples, the deployment is quieter than at Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples, farther to the west.
"Thai soldiers do a rotation and patrol regularly," said Capt. Pen Sameoun, of Border Unit 403, near Anglong Veng. "They make some things complicated, abusing Cambodian territory. But we can talk and settle things."
14 comments:
"I think this is Cambodian territory, and this is the heritage of Cambodia. If we leave, that means the Thais will continue to enter," said the woman, the mother of two children and who works as a porter at the Choam Srangam border crossing in Anglong Veng.
A true crusader for the sovereignty of Cambodia
come on Hun Sen. you usless cunt! protect your people
Ah kwak's blood stream flowing very slow with Thai or Viet ,but to Cambodian people this mother fucker will spend a thousand soldiers and million dollar to get the poor khmer wothless.
What can we help? The solution please train snipers wait and wait while the opportunities open send that mother fucker slave to the hell.
I agree with 8:27 AM. This has been happened for a long time now. It's time to take matter in our own hand now. Start forming the vigilante groups all along the border when the Thais come in just kill them one by one and then disappear back into the jungle. We cannot expect ah kvack to do anything with the fucken Thais. If ah kvack cares about this he would have done something long ago, but ah chkay did nothing. I swear if I live there people would find some of those bastard Thais rotten corpses in the Cambodian jungle already.
Thai soldiers will aim to kill civilians more than soldiers. They are bitches when confronted by force but act like savages when there are women and children present.
Look brothers keep boycotting siem products (yuon also) and start producing it ourselves. They will not get away with all the nagging.
"Another senior army official based in the capital claimed a large shipment of "modern equipment" - including guns and artillery - would be received at the end of October."
=Cambodian military is waiting for the arrival of the new weapon system including jet fighters! I hope by October if the bilateral talk between Cambodia-Thailand doesn't work out and Cambodian government can give the Thai an ultimatum to withdraw their troop or risk a war!
Cambodian government must give an ultimatum after October bilateral talk!
Ah Sen, now it is the time for you to confer with your military advisors. Don't just sit there, Ah Sen.
A Kwak doesn't see because he is blind. How many generals we have now? and where are they? yeah in the clubs with the beautiful girls. The military should turn their guns to a Kwak back and change the government.
Calm down, folks. Ah Sen is now asking all Cambodian citizens -- who work in Thailand -- to return to Cambodia, he then will wage war in three fronts with Thailand,citing secret source.
Additionally, the Vietnamese troops are now putting Cambodian uniforms and will shortly be sent to the conflict regions. Yes, the Vietnamese and Cambodian military advisors have been planned this plan since the precipitation of the border dispute (Preah Vihea temple)-- now three temples are in disputes.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
congratulation to all CPP voters!!! You deserve to live under this disgraceful regime.
Mr. prime minister, the CIA is watching and listening!
They (CIA) all ready have the necessary info to have you taken out.
Cambodia government is good to hurt poor's cambodian people...
And especially grabbing land.
When it's time to protect khmer
sovereignty, they can't even feed
the 500 soldiers at the border...
Who saided with hun sen, we are
in good direction?
Maybe we go back in the direction
of Kor-5 (like in the 80s).
Maybe that's their direction...
So it's good!!!
Guys,
why do we hate Thai? I do not think that they want to fight with any neighbouring countries.
are they that bad? you know Thai by yourself or trust waht you read and saw from the press?
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