Thai heavy artillery shells fell deep inside Cambodia

28 April 2011
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Paul Ossdey

Thai troops have increased their attacks on Cambodia by using heavy artillery on Thursday morning. Several shells fell deep inside Cambodian territories. Report at 7:30AM indicated that artillery shells fell on Phnom Sruoch, near O’Smach town, and they also fell in Samrong town’s Kaun Kreal commune, Oddar Meanchey province. In Kaun Kreal commune, about 20 artillery shells fell over it, forcing the residents to flee from the area. Report indicated that one Thai shell fell on a tractor belonging to a refugee from Kauk Mon commune, causing one seriously injured and two lightly injured. They were all sent to Siem Reap hospital for urgent medical care.

Fighting resumes along Thai-Cambodian border, spreads to new area

Cambodian soldiers inspect a multi-rocket launcher near the Cambodian-Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, 26 April 2011. Border clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops after four days of fighting killed and injured soldiers on both sides and forced thousands of civilians to evacuate their villages near two disputed temples. Both sides blame the other for instigating the fighting. EPA/MAK REMISSA

Apr 28, 2011
DPA

Phnom Penh/Bangkok - Cambodia said fighting between its forces and Thailand had resumed in four places along their disputed border as of early Thursday.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said the clashes, which started the previous evening, involved heavy artillery and small arms fire, and were focused on the border around the contested temples of Ta Moan and Ta Krabei in north-west Cambodia, as well as a village called Thmar Doun, which lies between the two temples.

Phay Siphan said fighting had also broken out at the border crossing town of O'Smach further east.

Hundreds of civilians fled O'Smach town late Wednesday, the Phnom Penh Post newspaper reported Thursday.

Phay Siphan said Bangkok had not replied to the proposal by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that the nations' two leaders meet at the May 7-8 regional summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.

Thai gamblers to O’Smach drop by 2/3

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Border police at the O’Smach international border gate told Rasmei Kampuchea on 10 November that Thai gamblers traveling to casinos in Cambodia have dropped by 2/3 from an average of 300-400 per day. On the other hand, Cambodian people living near Chhorng Chorm market are still frequenting this market as usual.

Thai soldiers forbid Khmer villagers from growing vegetable in their backyards

In January 2009, 35 heavily-armed Thai soldiers crossed 50 metres deep into Khmer territory at O'Smach to prevent Khmer workers from building a fence near the borders.

Reaksmei Kampuchea newspaper
7th March, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

Six Cambodian families living in the border village of O'Smach in Ouddor Meanchey province opposite Thailand's Kap Cherng district of Surin province were prevented by black-clad Thai Royal Guards from growing vegetable aroud their houses.

The Thai border guards said that the village where the Cambodian villagers are living are disputes areas, but the Cambodian border guards said that the areas are Cambodian territories and the Cambodian villagers have been living there since 2000, but only got the problems with the Thai soldiers after the Thais invaded Preah Vihear areas in July 2008.

Mr. Phorn Thol, Deputy Chief of Border Police gurading the O'Smach areas, told Reaksmei Kampuchea on 4th March that the six Cambodian families had been living there since the year 2000 and they had grown their vegetable around their houses since then. But later, Thai soldiers came to forbid them not to grow vegetable, not to clear the lands or make extensions to their houses because they said that the areas are in disputed territories.

Mr. Phorn Thol also said that Thai soldiers forbid the villagers from fishing in the natural pond or not to use the pond named Ang Dop Pram (Fifteen Reservoir) located on the border on top of the Dangrek Mountains.

Before the 1997 coup, Ang Dop Pram was a Khmer territory and Cambodian villagers as welll as Khmer border guard soldiers can use the pond and fish from the pond.

Mrs. Singh Hort who live in Phum Dey Pram Mett (Five Metres Village) in O'Smach district, told Reaksmei Kampuchea that the disputes happened after Thai soldiers invaded the Preah Vihear areas in July, 2008 and since then the villagers in her areas are living in double-hardship. In the areas, villagers are foraging for wild mushrooms, wild plants, tree tars, wild flowers and wild fruit to sell to Thai people across the borders, but after the Thai invasion of the Preah Vihear areas in mid 2008, they have difficulty selling those products to Thai people.

They said that in the past they can grow vegetable around their houses and can use the water from Lake Ang Dop Pram, but now they are prevented from growing the vegetable around their houses and are not allowed to use the water in that pond. Now, they have to buy foods and all consumer goods and everything from Thailand.

The six Cambodian families are families of Cambodian border guards who are protecting the borders in the areas. Their livelihood worsened due to global economic crisis and due to Thai soldiers not allowing them to grow food around their houses.

Cambodia releases two Thai nationals

SURIN, Feb 17 (TNA) - Thai authorities on Tuesday secured the release of Two Thai nationals who had been detained by Cambodian soldiers for illegal entry along the Thai-Cambodian border since last Friday.

Cambodian authorities handed over the two villagers to Thai authorities after successful talks between the two countries.

The duo crossed into Thai territory via Chong Jom border crossing in Surin's Kap Choeng district, along with Thai security officials.

Suk Yadee and Witoon Samran, local residents of Kap Choeng were detained by Cambodian soldiers last Friday while looking for forest produce along the Thai-Cambodian border opposite Surin's Kap Choeng district.

Their relatives urged the Thai-Cambodian Border Coordinating Centre on Monday to negotiate with Cambodian authorities at O’Smach-Chong Jom border crossing to release the detained villagers.

The two villagers said they were glad to return home and had been treated well while in the custody of Cambodian soldiers.

Thai casino gamblers on the rise again

Monday, October 20, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

On 18 October, at the O’Smach border gate, located in Samrong district, Oddar Meanchey province, more than half of the usual Thai visitors can be seen returning to gamble at the two Cambodian casinos in this area. At the Poipet-Khlong Luek international border gate, a large number of Thai casino gamblers are also seen returning back to Cambodia. Keo Sen, the O’Chrov district governor, said in the afternoon of 18 October that about 70% of the Thai gamblers have returned to Poipet casinos. The number of Cambodian traders at the Rong Klua marker in Aranyaprathet, Sra Kev province, Thailand, have also increased to 60-70% of their original numbers. Furthermore, about 70-80% of the Poipet population has also returned back.

Children in O’Smach working as laborers hauling wood logs

8 to 12-year old young children in O'Smach area can be seen hauling wood logs to sell at sawmills (Photo: Samroang, Koh Santepheap newspaper)

Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

Oddar Meanchey – In a trade which is now considered as normal, 60% of the old people and young children living in the O’Smach area are logging trees along the Dangrek mountain chain to harvest precious woods to sell to sawmills to earn about 150 to 250 Thai Bath (~$4.40 to $7.25) per day. What is remarkable in this trade is the fact that young boys and girls aged between 8 to 12-year-old are found working as laborers, some of these children are following their parents who are logging trees in the mountain, while others are working as hauling laborers. The precious woods collected from the mountain are cut into logs measuring 0.8 to 1-meter long. Another remarkable fact is that these logs have to be hauled from the Drangrek mountain located between 6 to 8 kilometers from the sawmills.

According to information provided by the children to Koh Santepheap, the majority of them are not attending school, not from the lack of schools, but because they believe that even if they don’t go to school, they can still earn a living for themselves and for their families. Some of them will grow up to become farmers, and some will leave to go to work as laborers in Thailand or find some work in Cambodia. These children’s views stem from the fact that they currently live in poverty.

Each day, in the O’Smach area, located next to the Cambodia-Thailand border, several boys and girls are seen not paying much attention to schools at all, they rather think about going to the forest to earn some money by hauling wood logs. Some of the children can only haul one log, while others can haul up to two. They all have to haul the logs between 6 to 8 kilometers from the Dangrek mountain.

A 12-year-old third grade schoolboy living in Chamcar Chek village, O’Smach commune, Samroang district, said that his group consists of 8 to 10 children who are hauling logs out of the forest to the sawmills. He told Koh Santepheap that he rarely attends school, on occasion, he would attend class only one or two days a week. Beyond that, he is busy with hauling logs to earn money to help his poor family. The young boy said that his father left to find work in Thailand, and that, as the oldest child in his family who can help his mother and younger siblings, he has to haul logs. Each day, he can only make one trip which earns him between 200 to 250 Thai Bath per wood log, depending on the size of the log. Some days, he could also haul up to two logs. His working day starts very early in the morning, and he does not return home until 2 or 3 PM.

Based on our observations, young boys and girls in the O’Smach commune are working as log hauler beyond their strength ability and they are forced to do so in order to help their poor families.