Thais arrest 38 Cambodians on charges of illegal logging

Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Bangkok Post with additional reporting by Dvid Boyle and Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

A combined task force of Thai soldiers and national park officials yesterday arrested 38 Cambodian villagers who encroached on the Panom Dong Rak Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand’s Si Sa Ket province, which borders Oddar Meanchey province.

Thai National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department chief Damrong Pidech said it was the largest arrest of Cambodians engaging in the illegal logging of rare and highly valuable rosewood trees.

“This is wonderful cooperation that has resulted in a great success. We are now investigating whether it involved any officials or timber businessman,” Damrong said.

Cambodian accused of arson gets lawyer

Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

THE Cambodian embassy in Bangkok has found a lawyer to represent a man accused of committing an arson attack on a bank during violent protests in the Thai capital last week, officials said.

San Mony Phet, 27, a native of Battambang province, was arrested by Thai authorities on Wednesday outside the Bangkok beverage shop where he is employed, on suspicion of involvement in an arson attack committed by antigovernment Red Shirt protesters.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Monday that a Thai attorney has been found to defend him when he appears in court.

“We will try our best to help him,” he said Monday, and added that Cambodian embassy officials and the man’s wife went to meet him in custody on Sunday.

Cambodian officials have so far denied San Mony Phet’s involvement in the protests. Koy Kuong said the suspect has worked legally in Thailand for five years and is married to a Thai woman, who has cooperated with embassy officials and Thai authorities in order to expedite the release of her husband.

At least 86 people were killed and around 1,900 injured in clashes between government forces and Red Shirts before the protesters were dispersed by force last week.

More Thai incursion into Cambodia ... Where are Hun Sen's border defense troops? Are they too busy beating up Khmer Krom monks?

Thai Soldiers Arrest Five in Cross-Border Raid, Groups Claim

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 December 2007

Five Cambodians are being held in Thailand after a cross-border raid by Thai security forces, witnesses, local authorities and rights groups said Thursday.

Witnesses in Samrong district, Odar Meanchey province, told VOA Khmer that on Monday Thai soldiers arrested five lumber cutters in Bansaay Reak commune. Other workers escaped, witnesses said.

Thai Embassy officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

One escapee, Vinh Phal, told VOA Khmer the people of the area are poor and need to cut wood to survive.

At around lunchtime Monday, Thai soldiers raided the group of workers, arresting five, said Vinh Phal, who hid and watched.

"When they arrested the people, the five people, they told them to cut down a whole tree and told them to drag the tree along with them," he said.

They took the equipment, "everything," he said.

Hin Liep, the wife of one of the arrested men, appealed to the government to secure her husband's release.

"My children and I have a hard time," she said.

Bansaay Reak Commune Chief Hem Teda confirmed the arrests.

"After the arrest, they ordered them to cut the logs and take some pictures," said Srei Naren, a coordinator for the rights group Adhoc. "Then they took all five people, along with the logs, into Thailand. Now they've charged those Cambodian people with logging in their territory."