The National Police has purchased a pair of armored riot suppression trucks from South Korea that will be used against protesters and in cases of “terrorism,” officials said Monday.
According to Kim Mengheng, director of the Interior Ministry’s bidding department, the bright-blue Tata Daewoo DWC-10,000 trucks were purchased from South Korea’s ILD Import company and can alternately discharge streams of pressurized water, soapy water and colored water, as well as tear gas.
He refused to say how much the trucks had cost.
“The two trucks will be used to protect against demonstrators and they have an automatic protection system,” Mr. Mengheng said, explaining that the soapy water would be used to sting the eyes of protesters, while the colored water would mark them for subsequent arrest.
Cambodia’s security forces have previously relied on a combination of mobile barriers and fire trucks to control crowds, notably during peaceful anti-government demonstrations in Phnom Penh following the 2013 election.
National Police spokesman Kirth Chantharith said Monday that the South Korean-made trucks would prove a welcome addition to the fleet.
“We are not sure when terrorism will happen, but the authorities need to protect the country, so we have to prepare against future events,” he said, adding that the new trucks would also be used to put out fires.
