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.

Koh Santepheap newspaper
14th January, 2009
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.//