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.