Two separate assaults of Cambodian migrants took place in Thailand on Friday, leaving one dead and four injured.
In one case in Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, four Cambodian cart-pullers were allegedly attacked by 10 Thai security guards, four of whom had been initially summoned by a Cambodian shop owner to chase the men away as they were drinking – with one even throwing up – in front of his shop.
According to Nou Pich, deputy director of border relations at Doung border checkpoint in Battambang province’s Komrieng district, the four security guards had insulted the victims, leading one of them to slap the guards, who were later joined by six others. A brawl broke out and ended with one Cambodian receiving a head injury, two with broken arms and one with slight injuries.
“Now, the victims are getting better and they have complained to the authorities . . . for justice [to be served],” Pich said, adding that the guards had been sent for questioning.
Separately, in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province on Friday, a Cambodian cassava farm worker – identified as Sar Ngy – was fatally shot by his Thai employer, identified only as “Lem”, who is now on the run.
According to the victim’s wife, 28-year-old Thaing Hon, Lem had pointed his gun and intended to kill the victim’s 29-year-old brother Sao Sann instead, but Ngy had stepped in front of his brother to shield him from the bullet.
“Sann wanted to bring his fiancé – who also worked for Lem – back to Cambodia, but she still owed Lem money,” Hon said. “So Lem was angry and wanted to kill Sann.”
