PM Wants Protection for Khmer Vendors in Thai Market Fracas

Khmer Times/Ven Rathavong

Saturday, 06 February 2016

ប្រធាន​ក្លឹប​អ្នក​កាសែត​កម្ពុជា លោក ប៉ែន បូណា ថ្លែង​ក្នុង​សិក្ខា​សាលា​ស្ដីពី​ទំនាក់ទំនង​រវាង​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​និង​ប្រព័ន្ធ​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ នា​វិមាន​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៤ ខែ​ធ្នូ ឆ្នាំ​២០១៥។

 RFA/Brach Chev

Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong to do everything in his power to protect Cambodian vendors in Thailand who recently protested and clashed with Thai police at Rong Kluea Market in Sa Kaeo, Thailand. Two venders were arrested during the altercation and property was damaged.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Chum Sounry said that a Thai court decided to sentence two Cambodian venders to three months in prison after the incident. 

“Thai Police also sent a video of the two vendors to our embassy in Bangkok,” he said. 

He added that Thai Police told the Cambodian ambassador that they have pictures and video of other vendors who attacked Thai police during the protest, and they plan to arrest those people when they find them. 

“Samdech [Mr. Hun Sen] instructed us to protect Cambodian people,” Mr. Sounry said, adding that he ordered the ambassador to find lawyers for the vendors on trial. 

On Wednesday, Cambodian vendors at Rong Kluea market clashed with Thai Police during an attempted confiscation of counterfeit goods. The Cambodian vendors refused to give up their merchandise, and a large riot ensued, causing multiple injuries to Thai police officials. 

The Cambodian vendors claim the police wanted to confiscate the counterfeit goods because they stopped paying bribes to them.