Logo

A second body has been found after Thai soldiers shot at a group of Khmer migrant workers who were hired by Thai logging companies to collect ready-fell logs for transport to Thailand.

On 23rd August, Thai soldiers shot at a group of Cambodian workers in a forest in Thailand's Ubon province, arresting 16 people with many people having escaped safely back to Cambodia while others remained missing.

On 26th, 35 year-old Chhum Pov's body was found dead with bullet wounds to his body. The next day, the body of 25 year-old Monh Pheak was found dead, also from gun shot wounds. According to everyday.com, 4 persons remained missing.

Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said the 16 arrested are due to be put on trial on 28th August in Ubon province with Cambodian consular officials arranging for a legal representation for them. "What we have done is asking our consular officials based in the province to find independent lawyers to represent them," he said.

Thai authority accused them of illegally logging in Thai territories, but Mr. Sor Thavy, Deputy Governor of Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, said those people were hired by Thai logging companies to collect ready-fell logs for them. "According to my investigation, those 16 Khmer citizens were hired to take the logs out of the forests for the Thai businesspeople," he said.

Many Khmer migrant workers have crossed to work in Thailand everyday. Recently, there is a surge in the indiscriminate shootings of these workers by Thai soldiers, often killing and wounding many people.

Early this months, a number of Cambodian had been arrested and wounded by Thai soldiers, some are still missing, for allegedly illegally logging in Thai territories.