Border Officials Ask Thailand To Stop Shooting at Loggers
Cambodian border officials urged their Thai counterparts not to shoot Cambodians who cross into Thailand illegally during a special meeting in Siem Reap city yesterday to cement border relations. The request comes as Thai soldiers have already fatally shot 11 Cambodians this year who illegally crossed into Thailand to log rosewood. The death toll is fast approaching the 15 Cambodians killed while logging in Thailand in all of 2011. “We asked our Thai counterparts that if they see our people crossing the border illegally, please, Thai soldiers, arrest them and report it to RCAF Border Affairs, but don’t shoot,” RCAF Lieutenant General Siek Socheat said. Lt. Gen Socheat is chief of Border Affairs for RCAF and led Cambodia’s delegation to yesterday’s meeting. …
