DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodian authorities said two Cambodian citizens logging illegally in Thailand have been shot dead by Thai troops and a third is missing, national media reported Wednesday.
The two dead men were in a party of 26 who crossed the border on January 10 in Oddar Meanchey province in north-west Cambodia, the Cambodia Daily newspaper quoted a senior army source as saying.
It was the latest in a series of shootings in the past four months in which Thai troops were accused of shooting Cambodians logging illegally and brings the number of dead to at least four.
Last week, the Cambodian government said it would station extra soldiers along the border in Oddar Meanchey to prevent its citizens from crossing illegally into Thailand. After the latest incident was reported, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the government would again increase its efforts.
'The government will build more checkpoints to prevent them and warn them from crossing the border illegally to prevent shootings,' he told the newspaper.
In the most infamous case, a 16-year-old died in September after he was shot and wounded, then allegedly tied to an ox cart while alive and set on fire by Thai soldiers. The Thai government later insisted the teenager had already died from gunshot wounds when troops burned his body.
Poverty is widespread in Cambodia and drives thousands to work in Thailand, often illegally.
The relationship between the two nations has been tense for more than a year with a number of clashes reported between troops from both countries over a disputed piece of land near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple in northern Cambodia.
Ties worsened late last year when Cambodia appointed Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser to the government.
The two dead men were in a party of 26 who crossed the border on January 10 in Oddar Meanchey province in north-west Cambodia, the Cambodia Daily newspaper quoted a senior army source as saying.
It was the latest in a series of shootings in the past four months in which Thai troops were accused of shooting Cambodians logging illegally and brings the number of dead to at least four.
Last week, the Cambodian government said it would station extra soldiers along the border in Oddar Meanchey to prevent its citizens from crossing illegally into Thailand. After the latest incident was reported, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the government would again increase its efforts.
'The government will build more checkpoints to prevent them and warn them from crossing the border illegally to prevent shootings,' he told the newspaper.
In the most infamous case, a 16-year-old died in September after he was shot and wounded, then allegedly tied to an ox cart while alive and set on fire by Thai soldiers. The Thai government later insisted the teenager had already died from gunshot wounds when troops burned his body.
Poverty is widespread in Cambodia and drives thousands to work in Thailand, often illegally.
The relationship between the two nations has been tense for more than a year with a number of clashes reported between troops from both countries over a disputed piece of land near the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple in northern Cambodia.
Ties worsened late last year when Cambodia appointed Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser to the government.
10 comments:
These stubborn people always given other headache because of their hardhead, stubborn, greedy...no matter what authority had explain and telling them, but they still go and get shot at...dumbass! do not blame Thais looking down on Khmer! Khmer allowing them to do so..!
Too many things people can do at home, like farming, raising livestocks...etc..you can chose to go latter when both governments resolve the conflicts...
Continue to cross into Thailand illegally, just making those Thais soldiers got advantage on Khmer people, they will not stop shooting these khmer unarmed people? they will continue to shoot and kills as much as they can...because they hated us real bad...don't think Thais are friendly neighbors!!
Since the past and until today, Thai has enjoy shooting at khmers. Khmers never wanted to learn the danger of crossing into Thailand. You still can find ways to survive at home. This is not something new and should not be surprised.
Once again another incident which should not had happen if the CPP government focus more on creating jobs for the people of Cambodia.
They instead when astray for 30 years. There is no justice for our fellow Khmer they died like animal and not one word from Hun Sen or the CPP about how to address and resolved these endless issues that the CPP created over the 30 years.
The CPP dont care about justice example the KR trail will be the key proof,it'll show all KR and Khmer Viet Mind victims that Hun Sen and CPP does not have any gut to face the music...they are all a "chicken"...
Heh Guys,
Do not assume the Khmers entered illegally the tais' territory without hard evidence. They might be logging in contested border area.
We'd rather encourage our Khmer brothers to arm themselves and fight back in self-defense.
That's the only way to deal with thugs.
Illegal loggers, whatever their nationality, are criminals. They have asked for it!
I urged those Khmer people to armed themselves up with weapons, don't let those Kapik stinky shooting at you freely? shoot them back with RPG-7 or something? comon people..? i knew it's illegal, but why getting shot at for nothing?
If people got so much of guts and decided to go, armed yourself up and shoot Thais bastard back...
The big problem is those rich- who had so much money, they kept lured these poor people into these deadly games..i urged authority to crackdown and catching those rich-tycoons bastards and punish them for good...!
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