Monday, March 30, 2009

A tug-of war on rice paddies at the O'Chrov Khmer-Thai borders

The Thai delegation (black uniform) and the Khmer delegation (camouflage uniform) went to inspect the lands in dispute. (Koh Santepheap photo By Sovandara).

Koh Santepheap newspaper
27th March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

A tug-of war between Cambodian farmers and Thai farmers regarding rice paddies long the Khmer-Thai borders at O'Chrov district, Banteay Meanchey province had occurred firstly on 17th March 2009, when two Thai soldiers and a Thai farmer came to forbid Khmer farmers from toiling the lands they claimed to have cleared and owned since 1993.

On 20th March, a group of 15 Thai soldiers came again to stop Khmer farmers from ploughing the lands in Seila Khmer village, O'Bei Choan commune in O'chrov district of Banteay Meanchey by claiming that the areas belong to Thailand.

On the morning of 26th March 2009, the Cambodian and Thai side had met at the barrack of the Thai army at Palelai town in Sakeo province to resolve the issues.

The Cambodian delegation of 8 military and police officers was led by Col. Say Sovannareth, commander of the region. When the Cambodian delegation arrived, the Thai commander who was supposed to attend the meeting was absent and only his deputy was present. However, to show goodwill the Cambodian delegation agreed to attend the meeting.

The Thai side said that the reason they forbade Khmer farmers from toiling the fields was because they received complaints from four to five Thai families that the Khmer farmers were toiling in their rice paddies. The Thai side also said that the areas belong to Thailand.

But Col. Say Sovannareth told the Thai side that the Khmer farmers had farmed on the lands for more than 10 years and that not one Thai farmer had ever claimed that the lands belong to them. However, the Thai side insisted that the Cambodian military ask the Khmer farmers to suspend their works on the lands concerned.

According to Maj. Douk Savath, spokesman for the delegation, after the meeting both sides went to inspect the lands concerned. While inspecting the lands, the Thai commander pleaded with the Cambodian commander not to report the issue to the higher authority by saying that this issue should be resolved at the lower level.

According to Maj. Douk Savath, at the end of the inspection the Thai commander request for both sides to meet in the next 2-3 days to further discuss the issue.

But Maj. Douk Savath said that since 17th March 2009, Thai soldiers had always come to harrass Khmer farmers to stop them from toiling the fields. He said that on 20th March, 15 Thai soldiers came again and during the verbal exchanges, the Thai commander had looked down on him and had insulted him with derogatory and offensive language. But he said that he follows a policy of patience of the head of the government (PM Hun Sen), therefore he didn't respond, copped the insults and remained silence.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mother fucker thai-thieft! Khmer should place military there to protects khmer farmer, this stupid greedy thais will have no peace for sure! Southern folks in YALA will strike them every minute and second...until those folks are free!

Anonymous said...

FUCK THAILAND! THAI IS FAKE! THAI IS FAGS! THAI GOT NO HISTROY..

Anonymous said...

Because Ah Kwak policy toward Thai thieft that's way Khmers get insulted all the time. Even Thai FM uses words to offense Ah kwak and he seems to like that.

Anonymous said...

FUCK THAILAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..................THAILAND BELONGS TO THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

Anonymous said...

Brother Khmen, we are ready to come in. We are on the border now.

We are aiming our missiles to HUN SEN government house. We are aiming at HUN SEN. We are aiming to Toul Krasang.

We come in to liberate you brothers.

We suggesting you that you need to change Phnom Penh to Khao Penh once we liberate you.

Khmen/Thai,

Anonymous said...

According to Maj. Douk Savath, spokesman for the delegation, after the meeting both sides went to inspect the lands concerned. While inspecting the lands, the Thai commander pleaded with the Cambodian commander not to report the issue to the higher authority by saying that this issue should be resolved at the lower level.

Why they don't want Cambodian side to publicize it??

Is this how professional Thai is??

Give me a break!!!

Hun Sen still blind or what??

Anonymous said...

This Strongman PM still quiet, no reaction from him at all! khmer farmer very desperate to get back to their farming, military should stations there...

Anonymous said...

It's all Hun Sen's fault for being too soft with Thailand. Just order our soldiers to shoot then the Thai will be scared and will never encroach again.

Anonymous said...

Folks,
Without National Strong defense, cambodia will keep bothering from her neighbors the rest...so i say upgraded military power! Thai only mess with weak country, they don't dare to mess with malaysia, indonesia at all...Khmer should learn from them too!