B ATTAMBANG - The Khmer Rouge are receiving intelligence from two groups of Thai
"spies" along the Cambodian-Thai border, say Battambang police.
Chief of
Information Bureau Col Nuon Say told the Post during an interview on April 15
that one group called "838" traded with Khmer Rouge rebels while another group -
"315" - gave guerrillas information about Royal troop movements.
The
group "315" was believed to be sending agents into Battambang city, posing as
traders and speaking fluent Khmer, Nuon Say said.
"The government troops
could easily defeat the KR if the Thais stopped supporting and cooperating with
KR," he said.
When the government wanted to attack Khla Ngoap (a KR
stronghold 60 kilometers northwest of Battambang), the KR had already evacuated
their families, food and ammunition into Thailand, he said.
He said the
Thai government had announced they did not support the KR but, in fact, still
continued covert aid that provided favorable conditions for the
rebels.
Nuon Say said the KR could freely enter onto Thai soil, and the
Royal government would only provoke an international incident if it shelled KR
rebels on Thai soil.
Nuon Say claimed that some Thai businessmen in the
KR zones were also "involved" with the Thai government, paying tax in exchange
for tacit support to trade.
The Thai traders, he said, could earn more
money if the Royal government and the Khmer Rouge continued fighting.
He
said the provincial authority had set up an immigration office, which would
investigate the allegations of Thai "spies" and traders, as well as any other
foreigners making profits in Battambang.
