04 April 2009
By Sophal Mony
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Click here to read the article in Khmer
Pha Thea, the Cambodian official in charge of border issues, indicated on Saturday 04 April that about 10 Thai black-clad soldiers from unit 547 based on O’Namron, Chanbury crossed the border and penetrated into Cambodian territories at Tuol Romdeng, next to border posts number 66 and 67 in Pailin province.
Pha Thea added that Thai soldiers trespassed into Cambodia between 9 and 10AM on 03 April, following the 7AM clash in Veal Entry, Preah Vihear province, on that same day. However, Cambodian border troops from unit 821 chased them out of the area.
Pha Thea said: “We forced them to go back, they should hurry back. They did not say anything and they did not do anything, after we told them, they pulled back. They came in for a while.”
According to Pailin province authority, Thai black-clad soldiers from unit 547 did not indicate the reason of their trespassing, they only agreed to pull out from Khmer territories after they were chased out by Khmer soldiers.
Nevertheless, RFA was not able to contact Thai unit 547 based along the border in O’Namron, Chanbury province which is located next to Cambodia’s Pailin province, to obtain additional information.
Cambodian border troops along the Phally-Phalla hills in Pailin province indicated that, today, black-clad Thai soldiers installed landmine signs in several locations on Cambodian territories, near border posts no. 68 and 69.
A border soldier said: “They came to border post no. 68 and they installed landmine signs on our territories. My unit was patrolling and we saw fresh new signs they just installed at border posts 68 and 69. Their landmine signs look just like ours.”
Regarding Thai soldiers installing landmine signs on Cambodian territories, Cambodian border patrol troops indicated that Cambodian army officers in Pailin province are reviewing this situation and they have called the Thai soldiers to pull them out.
It should be noted that the aggression on Cambodian territories in Pailin province by Thai black-clad soldiers based in Chanbury province took place right after new armed clash occurred between troops from the two countries in Preah Vihear province on 03 March 2009.
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