Thai officials to start arresting violent Cambodian protesters from Sept 26

Thailand is set to begin arresting Cambodian encroachers at the Sa Kaeo border from September 26 if they continue to use violence in protesting against the eviction order issued by the Sa Kaeo governor, a military source said on Thursday.

Violent clashes at Ban Nong Ya Kaew

The source, a high-ranking military officer who requested anonymity, explained why Thai officials did not arrest the Cambodians who crossed the border to protest and engage in violent clashes with Thai troops and police on Wednesday evening.

The violence occurred on Wednesday evening at Ban Nong Ya Kaew in Sa Kaeo’s Khok Sung district, when Cambodian protesters crossed Cambodia’s claimed border line—several metres behind Thailand’s claimed border line—to dismantle a razor-wire fence erected by Thai troops to secure their position after the July border clashes. They also launched an attack on Thai troops by throwing sticks and using slingshots to fire at them.

Step-by-step measures used to control the situation

Thai troops allowed crowd-control police to handle the situation using step-by-step measures, progressing from lenient warnings via sound trucks to firing shock waves with tear gas, and eventually using rubber bullets to control the violent Cambodian protesters.

Public reaction to the lack of arrests

The situation sparked outrage among Thai social media users, who questioned why the violent Cambodian protesters were not arrested, as they were clearly violating Thai law on Thai territory—despite being outside Cambodia’s claimed border line.

Reason for delay in arrests

The military source explained that Thai security officials followed step-by-step measures to deal with the Cambodian protesters in line with international practices, to avoid Cambodia distorting the incidents and seeking international support.

Arrests scheduled for September 26

Thai officials will begin making arrests on September 26, marking the one-month deadline given by the Sa Kaeo governor for Cambodian encroachers to leave Ban Nong Chan and Ban Nong Ya Kaew.

Cambodian encroachers have been residing within Thai territory in the two villages for decades after fleeing the civil war but have refused to return to Cambodia after the war ended. Following the July border clash and the securing of the zone by Thai troops, the governor issued the eviction order.

Collaboration with police and other agencies

The military source added that the arrests would be conducted by police and officials from the Department of Provincial Administration and the Department of Forestry, as the two Cambodian communities have encroached on Thai forested land.

Plans for further action if protests continue

A source from the First Army Area confirmed that when the deadline passes, Thai officials would not stop at using tear gas. “We have prepared step-by-step measures to deal with them,” the source said.