Thailand moved out of their post in Choam Sro-ngam

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

In Choam Sro-ngam pass, Anlong Veng district, after the Thai post was taken apart by the RCAF, Thailand asked that there be no more forest clearing along the border. A police officer based in Choam Sro-ngam border post said that after Cambodian troops took down the new Thai post, Cambodian forces have established themselves there. Thailand said that the reason it built its new post there (inside Cambodian territories) was because it saw Cambodia used equipments to clear forest, and it thought that Cambodia was clearing land for people to build their houses in this disputed zone.

Thai soldiers entered 50 metres deep into Cambodian territories to stop Khmer workers from building a fence

Heavily-armed Thai soldiers seen here 50 metres deep inside Khmer territory at Choam Sa'ngam (Photo: Samrong, Koh Santepheap)
Invading Thai soldiers entering Choam Sa'ngam (Photo: Samnang, Koh Santepheap)

14th January, 2009
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

Oddor Meanchey: According to sources, 35 Thai soldiers, 6 wearing paramilitary uniforms and the rest are black-clad soldiers armed with a 41-B rocket launcher, three AR-16 automatic weapons, and 15 AR-15 automatic guns have crossed 50 metres deep into Cambodian territories at Choam Sa’ngam Pass at 9:40 on the morning of 14th January, 2009 to prevent the Cambodian workers from dismantling the old fence in order to build a new fence. The building of a fence is in preparation for the building of a new casino near the Choam Sa’ngam Pass on the Cambodian side of the borders.

Those Thai soldiers who encroached into Cambodian territories and who were led by Maj. Vichet Korngchan Sawang, gave an excuse that the site of the fence was built in a “prohibited zone”.

There is no official reaction yet from the Cambodian authority about this Thai encroachment, but a border checkpoint official said that this is a sheer territorial violation because the Thai soldiers have crossed into the Cambodian territory without any regard or respect for the local Cambodian authority based there. The same official said that, if the Thai want to resolve any issue under the control of the Cambodian authority, they have to ask for co-operation from the Cambodian authority. They should not force their way in, totting their weapons in an uncivilised manner like this. Furthermore, other Thai soldiers have taken up positions in fighting modes around the site.

In response, local Cambodian border officials have reacted swiftly by requesting them to leave.

The border issues had subsided awaiting for the bilateral talks between officials from the two countries which will be held in this January when the Thai foreign minister will visit Cambodia this month.

This sheer border violation shows that Thailand has no clear sense of the borderlines because at every borderlines the Thai side has always taken advantage over the Cambodian side, such as the violation at Choam Sa’ngam Pass when the Thai soldiers crossed 50 metres deep into Cambodian territories to stop the Cambodian workers from building a fence.

According to the Cambodian vendors at Chorng Chorm Market, located 1 kilometre deep inside Thai territory opposite O’Smach border town, said that they saw the convoys of Thai soldiers being driven to Choam Sa’ngam Pass and Preah Vihear region starting from 7pm until the morning of the next day. A Cambodian official said that the redeployments of the Thai troops is a normal thing as long as they did not encroach on Cambodian territories like on the 15th of October, 2008.

According to a military source, the military situations in Preah Vihear is calm, but the soldiers are facing cold weather. A Cambodian military official said that some Thai soldiers, who cannot bear the cold weather, have deserted their base and returned to their homes to help the family with their farm’s harvests.

According to military sources, there is no more Thai border violations since the armed border clashes on the 15th of October, 2008. The same military official said that the frontline troops of both sides are still on alert, but both sides vowed not to fire first, as they wanted to leave the border issues to be resolved peacefully by their governments.

The prolonged disputes have left the Sisaket traders and residents very upset because their livelihood depends on the opening of the Preah Vihear temple.

Wrecked Homes Stir Anger on a Quiet Front

Far from the escarpment of Preah Vihear temple, above, villagers on a quiet front near Anlong Veng say they've had their homes destroyed.

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Oddar Meanchey province
02 October 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

The knocked-down houses of five families near the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng speak to the quiet consequences of a stubborn military standoff well into its 11th week.

Far from the Preah Vihear starting point of the standoff, families along the border in Oddar Meanchey province have seen their small homes destroyed by Thai troops.

"Some of [the soldiers] came with knives and axes, and with guns," said one woman, who spoke anonymously. "I wanted to enter my house to pick up some clothes and other things. They said to me, 'pai, pai'"—go, go—"and they pointed their weapons at me. Other people wanted to take a photo, and they pointed their weapons at them too."

Two families were former Khmer Rouge; three families had breadwinners working as porters, moving goods back and forth between Thailand and Cambodia. All of the families said they were settled in their small wooden homes near the border when the standoff began July 15, 100 kilometers to the east.

During the height of the standoff, some Anlong Veng villagers fled the area. They are back now, but villagers still worry about the unresolved situation.

"I think this is Cambodian territory, and this is the heritage of Cambodia. If we leave, that means the Thais will continue to enter," said the woman, the mother of two children and who works as a porter at the Choam Srangam border crossing in Anglong Veng.

The destruction of the homes, on Sept. 15, sparked no conflict between the hundreds of Thai and Cambodian soldiers that had already been deployed to the area.

"Around 500 Thai soldiers were deployed in this area, and after [the destruction] I saw 200 more," said a Cambodian soldier on the border who spoke on condition of anonymity. "That means they are more than Cambodian forces. They are deployed some in the front and some four or five kilometers from the front."

Cambodian soldiers said they were outnumbered by the Thais but remained committed to protecting this small patch of jungle, where dense forest limits visibility but where small groups of Thai soldiers appear, occasionally, in the distance.

Villager Pan Deun said he had seen Thai soldiers hiding in the forest, some times more than others, and had seen a "large canon," or artillery, pulled by military truck in Thai territory.

Cambodian troops were posted in the forest along the border as well, but here, in an area without temples, the deployment is quieter than at Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples, farther to the west.

"Thai soldiers do a rotation and patrol regularly," said Capt. Pen Sameoun, of Border Unit 403, near Anglong Veng. "They make some things complicated, abusing Cambodian territory. But we can talk and settle things."