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.

Two Cambodians arrested by Thai soldiers released

Radio Free Asia
By Sav Yuth
22nd February, 2009
Reported in English by Khmerization

The Ouddor Meanchey authority said that two Cambodians arrested by Thai soldiers for allegedly foraging in Thai territories have been released in exchange with the release of two Thai nationals by the Cambodian border police.

Mr. Ung Vorn, Governor of Ouddor Meanchey, said on 22nd February that the two Cambodian nationals were from Rumduol village, Ampil commune of Banteay Ampil district in Ouddor Meanchey province were fetched by Cambodian authority from O’Smach International Checkpoint two days ago in exchange for the release of two Thai nationals, also accused of being illegal foraging in Khmer territories.

Mr. Ung Vorn said: “We did a prisoner’s exchange since the day before yesterday through O’Smach Border Checkpoint. We have arrested two of them (Thais) too, so we agreed to do the prisoners’ exchange. We have made the reports to the Foreign Ministry and the Interior Ministry. We have reported to all relevant authority.”

The arrested men, Sip Choeng, 25 years of age, from Rumduol village, Ampil commune of Banteay Ampil district, said that he and a friend named Morn Chaun were chased and shot at by the Thai rangers and soldiers while they were foraging in a forest north of Rumduol village with 6 other villagers.

He said that the Thai authority put him in a temporary jail in Nong Ngarm village before sending him and his friends to a court in Buriram province.

He said: “We are foraging for vines and for tree tars. Rumduol village is a Khmer village, that’s why we dare to forage there. They were black-clad and paramilitary soldiers combined. They sprayed about 20 bullets at us. They put us in a temporary jail in Norng Ngarm village for two nights and then sent us to a large jail attached to a court in Buriram province.”

The two Cambodians were arrested by Thai soldiers since 14th February, 2009.

In December 2007, 5 Cambodian men from Samrong and Banteay Ampil districts were arrested by Thai authority in Kap Cherng district of Surin province on charges of illegally logging in Thong Niv district of Thailand.

Thai soldiers threatened Cambodian workers two days consecutively

These Thai soldiers were seen crossed 50 metres deep inside Khmer territory at Choam Sa'ngam on the 13th and 14th of January.

everyday.com
17th January, 2009
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

On 13th and 14th January, 2009, 15 heavily-armed black-clad and paramilitary Thai soldiers led by a soldier named Kaiphon have crossed into Cambodian territory at Choam Sa'gam International Checkpoint opposite Phu Sing district of Sisaket province and threatened and forbade Khmer workers from Oknha Lim Heng's company not to dismantle the old fence and build a new concrete fence near Choam Sa'ngam Checkpoint in Anlong Veng district, Oddor Meanchey province. The dismantling of the old fence and the building of a new fence was in preparation for the construction of a new casino.

Cambodian armed soldiers have intervened to stop the Thai soldiers from threatening the Khmer workers and have negotiated for them to leave peacefully, and the company has postponed the building of the new fence. The Thai said that the area is situated on the borderline which has not been clearly demarcated yet. But the Cambodian side claimed that the area is situated deep inside Khmer territory, If it is situated on the borderline, how can the old fence was built in the first place? (Read the main story here).