Preah Vihear: the military want to halt the rumours

Cambodge Soir

09-10-2008

The region’s residents are allegedly spreading false information around by using Thai cell cards.


Hang Soth, General Director of the Preah Vihear Authority, confirmed to “Cambodge Soir Info” that a meeting had recently been held between Cambodian commanders in order to identify the way these rumours concerning Preah Vihear are being spread around the country”.

One of the most recent rumours which spread like a wildfire throughout the country announced the start of fights between both Kingdoms after two Thai soldiers stepped on a mine. After this meeting, the participants’ suspicions fell on Cambodians who are reportedly using the Thai telephone network in order to transmit alarming information.

They immediately listed the Cambodians who are using this type of cell cards. But they are many because the Cambodian network coverage is almost non-existent in this area, like the one of Mobitel, despite being the main operator in the area. This is without taking into consideration all the Cambodian citizens who are doing business with Thailand, which explains the fact that they have a Thai cell card. In the future, the military officials are considering the confiscation of those foreign cell cards.

Hang Soth also came back on the Wednesday 8 October incident, during which a Thai soldier “who looked like he was highly drunk” was captured, around 10am on Cambodian territory. He was escorted back to the other side of the border around 1pm. “We’re trying to avoid any problem likely to interfere with the negotiations between the leaders of both countries”, declared the General Director.

LD and AN