King Norodom Sihanouk has asked Prime Minister Hun Sen to look into possible border encroachments by Vietnam and Thailand, according to a letter sent to the premier Monday.
The King made the request after receiving a letter from the Khmer Borders Protection Organization asking the monarch to intervene in numerous border encroachments by Cambodia’s neighbors.
“I would like to send you this letter to examine and help maintain the territorial integrity of our motherland,” the King wrote.
The border organization said it has noticed an increasing number of Thai and Vietnamese fishermen entering Cambodian waters by 10 km to 14 km, according to organization president Buth Rasmei Kongkea.
“Today the Thai and Vietnamese catch 100 to 500 tons of fish per day and take the fish to Thailand and Vietnam to sell,” Buth Rasmei Kongkea said in a letter to the King.
The border organization claimed Cambodian authorities have not taken strict action to protect the border or crack down on those who encroach upon Cambodian territory.
The group appealed to parliament and government officials to protect Cambodian land and punish those who violate the border.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian Democratic Front for Students and Intellectuals said it will demonstrate Monday in front of the National Assembly to protest border encroachments from Thailand and Vietnam.
The protest coincides with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s arrival in Cambodia on Monday for a two-day visit.
The students will march from the National Assembly to the Thai and Vietnamese embassies.
The Cambodian government has met several times with Thai and Vietnamese officials regarding border disputes, but many problems remain. It is unclear whether border issues will be discussed during Thaksin’s visit.
