A Cambodian who worked on a fishing boat in Thailand and escaped to the Kingdom with a handcuff on one hand, was found by Koh Kong province’s Mondul Seima district police and detained for questing on Wednesday morning.

District police chief Chea Sarin told The Post that the man was identified as Ros Roeun, 34, a fishing boat worker from Chrey Khmum commune, Sithor Kandal district, Prey Veng.

“He was found by our police officers in a forest near the Cham Yeam border checkpoint [between Thailand and Cambodia] while he was walking from the Thai border. There was a handcuff on his right hand, which was injured badly that it became lacerated,” Sarin said.

According to Sarin, after finding him, Cambodian authorities contacted their Thai counterparts who reported no offence in the area for several days.

“Because the handcuff caused a laceration on his wrist, authorities decided to take it off by using a pruning saw and they helped to treat his wound. We then sent him to the Koh Kong police office for further questioning,” he said.

Koh Kong deputy police chief in charge of criminal offences Khem Sane said after being questioned by officers from the criminal police department, Roeun said the fishing boat he was working on entered a port in Trat province, Thailand to offload fish, prawns, and octopus.

He said he asked his boss for his salary so that he could visit his wife and children in Prey Veng province, but the boss did not allow it. There was a dispute and the boss used violence by ordering other workers to catch him and put the cuff on his hand.

“Roeun escaped but ended up not getting his salary,” said Sane.

Sarin added: “A report from our Thai counterpart said Roeun had never committed any offences in Thailand. For the case mentioned, Thai police said they would file a complaint if Roeun returned to Thailand.”

Because he had just come from the Thai border where he got the injury, Roeun was sent to a centre organised by a Covid-19 prevention committee to stay 14 days. If he does not have any symptoms of Covid-19, he will be allowed to go back to his family in Prey Veng.