By Dr. Puangthong Rungswasdisab,
Research Fellow, Cambodian Genocide Program,
Yale University
Another active Cambodian right-wing force on the Thai-Cambodian border was known to belong to the former governor of Battambang Province, General Sek Sam Iet. This group reportedly gathered intelligence for the Thai Supreme Command office. They often penetrated into Cambodia for harassment activities against the Phnom Penh government. Sek Sam Iet’s group operated near Aranyaprathet and sometimes extended their activities into the Phnom Malai range in Cambodia. Moreover, this group ran a clandestine business with Thai army officers in smuggling Cambodian logs into Thailand. The group also behaved like bandits gang as they robbed wealthy Cambodian refugees. This was later confirmed by the Police Department, which reportedly wanted to force Sek Sam Iet to leave Thailand. However, the idea was not implemented; as it later appeared that the Cambodian rebel leader was allowed to continue his sabotage activities on the Thai-Cambodian border. Border conflicts, therefore, did not end with In Tam’s flight.
Chatichai and Ieng Sary agreed to meet again on Cambodian soil to discuss the territorial dispute on the Prachinburi-Battambang border on 27 February 1976. In order to please his Cambodian counterpart, Chatichai announced that Thailand would not accept any more Indochinese refugees and would prosecute them in court and deport them back to the countries they come from. Chatichai said he would inform Sary about this decision during the scheduled meeting, and could ask the Cambodian government to take back almost ten thousand Cambodian refugees, which was one of the important issues raised by Cambodia during the Sary-Chatichai meeting in Poipet in November 1975. However, the Cambodian side decided to postpone the meeting, citing the unsafe conditions as a reason.
Again, the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia was challenged by a strange incident on 25 February, when the Cambodian town of Siem Reap was bombed by unidentified jet fighters. Cambodia blamed this terrorist act on the Americans. It pointed out that the F-111 jet fighters had flown from the direction of Thailand and that the bombings had occurred after the defeat of sabotage attempts by the Lon Nol forces stationed on the Thai border. Thai officials denied any involvement in the incident, claiming that all U.S. F-111 bombers had left the country since June last year and other types of combat planes had left since January 1976.
The new government of Seni Promoj, which resumed office after Kukrit’s dissolution of parliament and the April election, continued the effort to strengthen the unstable relationship with the Cambodian government. In mid-June 1976, Seni’s Foreign Minister Bhichai Rattakul and his team made a secret journey across the border to Sisophon district of Battambang with numerous issues to discuss with Ieng Sary. These topics included the exchange of ambassadors, international trade, border demarcation, the release of Thai fishermen in Khmer Rouge custody, and the return of Cambodian refugees.
Despite the ongoing border conflict, significant development in the relationship between the Seni and the Khmer Rouge governments was evident particularly in the ambassadorial exchange and trade issues. In August 1976, the Thai government prepared for a reopening of the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. Private trading at the Aranyaprathet-Poipet border point was finally allowed to resume. Later on, the Cambodian government requested the Thai to hand over Sek Sam Iet and three other former Lon Nol officers.
Chatichai and Ieng Sary agreed to meet again on Cambodian soil to discuss the territorial dispute on the Prachinburi-Battambang border on 27 February 1976. In order to please his Cambodian counterpart, Chatichai announced that Thailand would not accept any more Indochinese refugees and would prosecute them in court and deport them back to the countries they come from. Chatichai said he would inform Sary about this decision during the scheduled meeting, and could ask the Cambodian government to take back almost ten thousand Cambodian refugees, which was one of the important issues raised by Cambodia during the Sary-Chatichai meeting in Poipet in November 1975. However, the Cambodian side decided to postpone the meeting, citing the unsafe conditions as a reason.
Again, the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia was challenged by a strange incident on 25 February, when the Cambodian town of Siem Reap was bombed by unidentified jet fighters. Cambodia blamed this terrorist act on the Americans. It pointed out that the F-111 jet fighters had flown from the direction of Thailand and that the bombings had occurred after the defeat of sabotage attempts by the Lon Nol forces stationed on the Thai border. Thai officials denied any involvement in the incident, claiming that all U.S. F-111 bombers had left the country since June last year and other types of combat planes had left since January 1976.
The new government of Seni Promoj, which resumed office after Kukrit’s dissolution of parliament and the April election, continued the effort to strengthen the unstable relationship with the Cambodian government. In mid-June 1976, Seni’s Foreign Minister Bhichai Rattakul and his team made a secret journey across the border to Sisophon district of Battambang with numerous issues to discuss with Ieng Sary. These topics included the exchange of ambassadors, international trade, border demarcation, the release of Thai fishermen in Khmer Rouge custody, and the return of Cambodian refugees.
Despite the ongoing border conflict, significant development in the relationship between the Seni and the Khmer Rouge governments was evident particularly in the ambassadorial exchange and trade issues. In August 1976, the Thai government prepared for a reopening of the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. Private trading at the Aranyaprathet-Poipet border point was finally allowed to resume. Later on, the Cambodian government requested the Thai to hand over Sek Sam Iet and three other former Lon Nol officers.
8 comments:
Mr.Sek Sam-Iat is Siamese spy ever. He's a blad wth three fronts ( triple standar), he is a skimish hands during his power and very bad habit killing rapping exte...He one of the best Siamese spy after Mr. DAAB CHUON nik nam in thai called (Mchul Pech).His wealth of fortune Thai well keeps preserve for him to use for his life style, not like Khmer Rouge asset Mill.. Mill.. of dollars Thai Gov't Reposess all after KR loss their power to Yuon in 1979. I beleive he still in active spying for Siam up to this day, not like Ta In Tam He dit not allowe Siamese use his head Siamese blocked him not to stay or travel through Thailand teritory forever.
So Mr. Hun Sen should do somthing about this enmie spy.
How bad SEK is? very Bad he did not care whose wife is it he enjoy sex with as his own. especially high ranking Military under his power.
thank god that was history! cambodia starts anew now! god bless cambodia.
It could have been this bastard and his team stirred up refugees in khao i dang in 1982.
To Dr. Rungswasdiab,
Thank you for telling the truth about your amateur Thai historians wannabe. They like to exaggerate the thing of the past and implode them into something beyond anyone belief, however, you are a fair man and not to mention you have been educated in the West. Thai king has never beheaded Khmer King and took his blood to wash his feet. I am glad that you have openly tell the truth of this henious and hatred propaganda to destroy Khmer soul so your amateur historians can embellish your Thai history. In addition, you have never mentioned about Vietnam joined COMECON after betraying China in 1977. The reason Vietnam decided to join COMECON due to the fact that Vietnam cannot mentally and physically use the Chinese aids for the benefit of Vietnam any longer, thus there is only one solution left and that is to join COMECON for national assistance as well as militarilly supports. And because of this assistance and the OK received from former Soviet, Vietnam decided it is time to invade Cambodia in December 1978, in addition, to end all problems with Khmer Rouge about demarcation between Vietnam and Kampuchea.
Although it helped cleared out the truth about beheading Khmer King, but your analysis failed to shed more light about what happened should Thailand rejected the American during the Cold War.
I shall wait to hear from you Dr. Rungswasdisb. Thank you sir.
ST.
Ah Sex Sam Arch! Ah LMOP te Kdet Srey! Pro Pon Ah na ko yit de! Ah thork tiep!
How did Sek Sam Iet's story ending up with In Tam? What a confusion story! and wouldn't it be good that this group hassased Khmer Rouge? Who need Khmer Rouge in 1976? Remember that nearly all Khmers in Cambodia during thought time were prisoners.
As a refugee, thiefs along the boder spoke only Thai or else no word at all.
All cars Khmer Rouge took from Cambodian people were parading out of Cambodia thru Battambang during Khmer Rouge years. That was for real. We don't know why, but mile and mile of cars leaving Cambodia to Thailand in broad day light. No log of tree during those time. No tree were cutting.
If Thailand had agreed to return the poor man back to Cambodia or the Khmer Rouge, he would have been beheaded. After all, he was an innocent man. Just a victim of a fool and a cruelty.
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