A Cambodian man was shot and injured in Thailand on Sunday while logging illegally across the border from Battambang province, according to a local official, only days after Thailand’s defense minister said his country did not shoot Cambodians intentionally.
Samlot district police chief Ly Buoy said Monday that Nath Sinuon, 34, was shot in the abdomen by a Thai border soldier while he was logging inside Thailand.
“We got a report, but we have not met the injured villager because his relative sent him to the Battambang military hospital for treatment; he is critically injured,” said Mr. Buoy, who said he suspected that the victim was a soldier.
Eam Seng Oeun, commander of the district’s military police, claimed that Mr. Sinuon was not a soldier, referring additional questions to Prak Than, liaison officer at the local border checkpoint, who said he had no official information about the case.
Dozens of Cambodians are shot by Thai security forces each year, usually while logging illegally in Thailand.
During a state visit last week, Thai Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said none of the shootings were intentional, “but there is confusion and we need to work together to resolve these issues.”
