Thailand set a ridiculous limitation on Cambodian villagers living near the Preah Vihear Temple: they are forced to carry goods purchased from Thailand by hand only, they are prohibited from using a yoke or carrying them on their head, or in a cart. This limitation was set to reduce the amount of goods imported into Cambodia. Such ridiculous limit was set because of the difference between the two countries on the Preah Vihear Temple. This is truly an underhanded and mean-spirited tactic used by the Thai authority. (Photo: Chamnab, Koh Santepheap)Villagers living near Preah Vihear Temple are allowed by Thailand to bring goods back to Cambodia by carrying them by hand only, carrying them on the head or using a yoke are not allowed
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Preah Vihear Province – Preah Vihear authority officials indicated, last week, that the 250 Cambodian families living in Prasat village – located next to the foothill of Drangrek mountain where the Preah Vihear Temple is, in Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province – and whose livelihood depends on importing goods from Thailand through the Thai-Cambodian border gate, have been ordered by the Thai border police to carry goods from Thailand into Cambodia by hand only, they are not allowed to carry them on their heads, nor using a yoke on their shoulders, nor using a cart.
Siv On, Prasat village chief told reporters that the villagers now depend on importing goods from the Thai market located next the border gate. He added that the Thai border authority limits them to carry the goods into Cambodia by hand only, and they are not allowed to carry them on their head, or in a cart, or using a yoke on the shoulder.
Kong, a 16-year-old girl who lives temporarily in Prasat village indicated: “Thailand does not allow us to bring large amount of merchandise back from the Thai market. I go to the Thai market, they allow me to buy enough so that I can carry them back by hand, I’m not allowed to carry them on my head or use a yoke to carry them back on my shoulder.” Kong said that Cambodian villagers are always faced with difficulties because they cannot buy goods from Cambodia.
Hang Soth, an official of the Preah Vinear National Authority (PVNA), said that Cambodian villagers living in Prasat village depend on goods bought in the Thai market because there is no transportation means to bring enough goods from Phnom Penh and other parts of the country to the Preah Vihear Temple yet.
Koeun, a Prasat villager who works as a tour guide in Preah Vihear Temple, said grudgingly: “I can see that the goods and materials here must be imported from Thailand by carrying them using human labor, now Thailand limits our ability to bring in goods in small quantities only. This is a too strict limitation.”
In the interviews conducted by Koh Santepheap among the workers who carry the goods from the Thai market, neat the border gate, they indicated that there are about 20 porters altogether, including 4 women. They are laborers transporting goods from the Thai market to the market in Cambodia. Thailand prevents them from using a yoke to carry the goods on their shoulders, nor are they allowed to carry them on their heads. They are forced to carry the goods in by hand only, and because of that, the maximum they can carry is one load on each hand.
An anonymous border police officer indicated that Thailand indeed set up this limit. He said: “We have no means to get an arrangement with them.” Nevertheless, the Preah Vihear border police declined to provide any comment on this limitation set by Thailand.
18-year-old Theary who lives in Prasat village, said: “We truly want a resolution for the Cambodian people living in the foothill of the Preah Vihear Temple, because all the materials, all the foods, they must be imported from Thailand by carrying them by hand, and now people are carrying them directly on their shoulders (i.e. without a yoke) everyday.” Theary added: “They don’t allow me or the villagers, or the porters to carry the goods on their head, or using a yoke, or in a cart.” The villagers, as well as the local authorities based in the Preah Vihear Temple told Koh Santepheap that it is very difficult for the Prasat villagers because they have no means to transport goods from inside Cambodia proper as the road leading the mountain is not easily accessible.
Cambodian villagers must carry the goods from the Thai market located about 3 kilometers from the border, among these goods are mechanical equipments, domestic animals, and merchandises needed by the market and by the local villagers. The majority of the porters come from various parts of Cambodia. In their interviews, they indicated that Cambodian leaders must pay a great deal of attention to develop this area, because to them, the dependence on a foreign country for their survival is not an acceptable situation.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Koh Santepheap newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Preah Vihear Province – Preah Vihear authority officials indicated, last week, that the 250 Cambodian families living in Prasat village – located next to the foothill of Drangrek mountain where the Preah Vihear Temple is, in Choam Ksan district, Preah Vihear province – and whose livelihood depends on importing goods from Thailand through the Thai-Cambodian border gate, have been ordered by the Thai border police to carry goods from Thailand into Cambodia by hand only, they are not allowed to carry them on their heads, nor using a yoke on their shoulders, nor using a cart.
Siv On, Prasat village chief told reporters that the villagers now depend on importing goods from the Thai market located next the border gate. He added that the Thai border authority limits them to carry the goods into Cambodia by hand only, and they are not allowed to carry them on their head, or in a cart, or using a yoke on the shoulder.
Kong, a 16-year-old girl who lives temporarily in Prasat village indicated: “Thailand does not allow us to bring large amount of merchandise back from the Thai market. I go to the Thai market, they allow me to buy enough so that I can carry them back by hand, I’m not allowed to carry them on my head or use a yoke to carry them back on my shoulder.” Kong said that Cambodian villagers are always faced with difficulties because they cannot buy goods from Cambodia.
Hang Soth, an official of the Preah Vinear National Authority (PVNA), said that Cambodian villagers living in Prasat village depend on goods bought in the Thai market because there is no transportation means to bring enough goods from Phnom Penh and other parts of the country to the Preah Vihear Temple yet.
Koeun, a Prasat villager who works as a tour guide in Preah Vihear Temple, said grudgingly: “I can see that the goods and materials here must be imported from Thailand by carrying them using human labor, now Thailand limits our ability to bring in goods in small quantities only. This is a too strict limitation.”
In the interviews conducted by Koh Santepheap among the workers who carry the goods from the Thai market, neat the border gate, they indicated that there are about 20 porters altogether, including 4 women. They are laborers transporting goods from the Thai market to the market in Cambodia. Thailand prevents them from using a yoke to carry the goods on their shoulders, nor are they allowed to carry them on their heads. They are forced to carry the goods in by hand only, and because of that, the maximum they can carry is one load on each hand.
An anonymous border police officer indicated that Thailand indeed set up this limit. He said: “We have no means to get an arrangement with them.” Nevertheless, the Preah Vihear border police declined to provide any comment on this limitation set by Thailand.
18-year-old Theary who lives in Prasat village, said: “We truly want a resolution for the Cambodian people living in the foothill of the Preah Vihear Temple, because all the materials, all the foods, they must be imported from Thailand by carrying them by hand, and now people are carrying them directly on their shoulders (i.e. without a yoke) everyday.” Theary added: “They don’t allow me or the villagers, or the porters to carry the goods on their head, or using a yoke, or in a cart.” The villagers, as well as the local authorities based in the Preah Vihear Temple told Koh Santepheap that it is very difficult for the Prasat villagers because they have no means to transport goods from inside Cambodia proper as the road leading the mountain is not easily accessible.
Cambodian villagers must carry the goods from the Thai market located about 3 kilometers from the border, among these goods are mechanical equipments, domestic animals, and merchandises needed by the market and by the local villagers. The majority of the porters come from various parts of Cambodia. In their interviews, they indicated that Cambodian leaders must pay a great deal of attention to develop this area, because to them, the dependence on a foreign country for their survival is not an acceptable situation.
