08 January 2011
By Sok Sophalmony
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer
Translated by Ki-Media
Thai soldiers shot on 11 Cambodians, causing 1 death and 1 injured, while these Cambodians were crossing the border from Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province to work as wood loggers in Tapraya district, Sakaeo province, Thailand.
Vat Han, the Banteay Chhmar commune chief, located in Thmor Puok district, Banteay Meanchey province, reported that Cambodian border defense troops have indicated that Thai soldiers shot on Cambodians in the morning of 07 January.
Vat Han added: “The information indicated that there was a fatal injury: one dead among the 11 villagers, 7 of whom come from my village. They left q from our village, Dangrek village, and they went to border post 27, then they cross the border post to enter Thai territories. The information indicated that they went to log wood in Thailand and the Thai troops surrounded them and shot them.”
The Thmor Puok local authority indicated that there were 11 Cambodians who sustained the shooting of Thai troops, they live in Banteay Chhmar and Kok Romiet communes, Thmor Puok district, Banteay Meanchey province: “Border [officials] reported that [the incident took place] near Thmor Sor, close to border post 28. What we know is that there was one dead and one injured. The Thais shoot them inside Thailand’s Tapraya district. I don’t know the victim’s last name, but his first name is Sambath. He is between 33 and 35. The other victim is Seut, he was injured but I don’t know if it serious or not.”
Chan Kosal, the Bantey Meanchey provincial police commissioner, said that the body of the Cambodian man assassinated by the Thai soldiers is still inside Thai territories, and the Cambodian authority is asking Thailand to return his body back home for funeral.
