Another Cambodian seriously injured after being shot by the Thais

03 Feb 2010
By Pech Bandol
Free Press Magazine online
Translated from Khmer by Socheata


In addition to the various other dead and injured people, on Tuesday, another Cambodian citizen was seriously injured by a Thai bullet when he and a group of 11 other men attempted to cross the border to log trees inside Thailand, along the border with Oddar Meanchey province.

According to local villagers and human rights group officials, a 25-year-old man living in O’Smach commune, Samrong district, Oddar Meanchey province was shot once on his right hand, and once in the back by Thai soldiers at about 5:30AM when Thai soldiers discovered a group of about 12 men inside the Thai territory.

Ly Kim Eng, the father of Ly Khloeung, said that his son is still alive after being shot twice. Nevertheless, Ly Kim Eng said: “This is normal life for people living in O’Smach commune. They have to earn a living through logging trees along the border.”

This is another heartbreaking story for poor Cambodian villagers who are forced to venture into logging trees or working as laborers in Thailand. In the past, Cambodian villagers met with horrendous circumstances, some were shot dead, while others were burnt alive or have their heads cut off by Thai soldiers. The information on these tragedies was made available to the public, but it is rare that the Cambodian government would react to all these savage acts.

Cambodian government officials prohibit Cambodian villagers from crossing the border to Thailand to log trees, or work as laborers. However, because Cambodia did not create enough jobs to prevent such flood of illegal workers crossing into Thailand, Cambodian villagers continue to serve as shooting target for the Thai soldiers. All of this is due to the hunger of these Cambodian villagers.