Thai officials blunder in border arrest
MILITARY officers in the Phnom Dangrek area on the Cambodian-Thai border said Thai soldiers on Saturday arrested seven Cambodians, including a border guard, inside the Kingdom’s territory.
They were accused of crossing the border to log rosewood illegally in Thailand.
However, t he commander of Company 1 in the Phnom Dangrek a rea, Ros Sa r uom, s a i d t h e T h a i s o l d i e r s were bet ween 200 a nd 300 met res i nside Ca mbodia n territor y when t hey patrolled t he border.
One of t hose arrested was a m i l i t a r y o f f i c e r f r o m Company 2.
The seven were released immediately when border liaison officers of both countries intervened after basing their negotiations on a geographical map using the GPS.
“Ten Thai soldiers patrolled the border and they were between 200 and 300 metres inside Cambodian territory. After checking GPS, both sides found the area is located in Cambodia and agreed to release the people and a military officer,” he said.
International Choam Border Checkpoint communication office head Touch Ra said the Thai authorities claimed the arrest was made after they saw one of the seven riding a motorbike in the forest along the borderline.
He was stopped for questioning on suspicion that he crossed the border in search of rosewood in Thailand.
“The s e v e n have been released and Thai authorities have apologised for the arrest,” Ra said.