09 Oct 2008By LD and AN
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
People living in the region would have spread false information by using mobile phones equipped with Thai phone companies SIM cards.
Hang Soth, the director general of the Preah Vihear authority confirmed to “Cambodge Soir Info” that, “lately, there was indeed a meeting among the Cambodians army commanders to identify the means used to propagate rumors about Preah Vihear to the rest of the country.”
One of the most recent rumors, which was spread like wildfire in the country, announced the start of the fighting between the two kingdoms following the stepping on landmines by two Thai soldiers.
At the end of the meeting, suspicions were focused on Cambodians using Thai mobile phone network to spread out alarming news.
Right away, the army started to tally the number of Cambodians owning this type of mobile phones SIM cards. There were many of them because the mobile phone network coverage by Cambodian companies is inexistent in this zone, even for Mobitel which is supposed to be the number phone company. Furthermore, several Cambodians trade with Thailand, this explains why they own a Thai SIM cards. To date, Cambodian military officials in the region plan to confiscate all these foreign SIM cards.
Hang Soth also discussed about the incident which took place on Wednesday regarding the capture of a Thai soldier – who appeared to be completely drunk – at about 10 AM well inside Cambodian territories. He was taken to the border at about 1 PM. “We try to avoid problems that could impede negotiations between the leaders from the two countries,” Hang Soth said.
Hang Soth, the director general of the Preah Vihear authority confirmed to “Cambodge Soir Info” that, “lately, there was indeed a meeting among the Cambodians army commanders to identify the means used to propagate rumors about Preah Vihear to the rest of the country.”
One of the most recent rumors, which was spread like wildfire in the country, announced the start of the fighting between the two kingdoms following the stepping on landmines by two Thai soldiers.
At the end of the meeting, suspicions were focused on Cambodians using Thai mobile phone network to spread out alarming news.
Right away, the army started to tally the number of Cambodians owning this type of mobile phones SIM cards. There were many of them because the mobile phone network coverage by Cambodian companies is inexistent in this zone, even for Mobitel which is supposed to be the number phone company. Furthermore, several Cambodians trade with Thailand, this explains why they own a Thai SIM cards. To date, Cambodian military officials in the region plan to confiscate all these foreign SIM cards.
Hang Soth also discussed about the incident which took place on Wednesday regarding the capture of a Thai soldier – who appeared to be completely drunk – at about 10 AM well inside Cambodian territories. He was taken to the border at about 1 PM. “We try to avoid problems that could impede negotiations between the leaders from the two countries,” Hang Soth said.
