Rosewood Logger Shot Dead by Thai Soldiers

Soldiers in Thailand fatally shot a logger from Battambang province who slipped across the border with six other Cambodians to cut rosewood on Wednesday night, authorities said.

Teng Sal, 37, who illegally crossed from Cambodia’s Pursat province into Thailand’s neighboring Trat province, was shot twice in the back and died in a Thai hospital, according to provincial police chief Sarun Chanthy.

“They went to cut rosewood on the Thai side, and Thai soldiers chased them and shot one of our citizens to death,” said Major General Chanthy, who received a report about the incident from Thai authorities on Thursday morning.

Patrolling Thai soldiers found the seven loggers about 3 to 4 km inside Thai territory, and all but Teng Sal made it back across the border safely, he said.

“We already sent our officials to bring his body back home,” Maj. Gen. Chanthy said.

Appealing to Thai authorities, he added: “If they find our people on their land illegally, please catch them and punish them according to the law. Please don’t kill them.”

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