YET ANOTHER Thai ranger lost his left leg upon stepping on a landmine while patrolling near Chub Ta Mok base on the western side of the ancient Prasat Ta Muen Thom temple this morning (Aug. 12), Amarin TV said.
The ranger, identified as Sgt. Maj. Theeraphon Phiakhanthi, who was within the Thai side of the barbed wire border fence, is being transported to hospital.
It is suspected that Cambodian soldiers had planted landmines before retreating from Thai territory.
Meanwhile, rangers and soldiers intercepted two families of Cambodian migrant workers, totalling nine persons, as they illegally entered Thailand to find work because they were starving after having returned to their homeland.
As some rangers and soldiers were patrolling Highway 3383 at 5 p.m. yesterday they spotted a suspicious vehicle parked by the roadside with four persons walking towards it from a sugarcane field.
They questioned the driver, Mr. Thongchai, along with four Cambodian migrant workers, Mr. Muean Rawi, 19, Mrs. Muean Panna, 21, Mr. Muean Raoun, 15, and Miss Kangfong, 7, and found out that the driver had been hired by his nephew-in-law to pick them up for 300 baht each.
The Khmer family said they were previously vendors at Rong Kluea market in Aranyaprathet border town, Sa Kaeo province, but in July returned to their country. However due to lack of income and hunger, they contacted a guide through a friend and agreed to pay him 4,000 baht per person and 1,000 baht per child to bring them back to Thailand but have now been arrested.
Later at 10 p.m. another group of rangers ran into five Cambodians carrying luggage as they walked through a natural passage to Thailand without a guide. They were identified as Mr. Kornchantha, 42, his wife Mrs. Polthida, 46, their 13-year-old daughter and eight-year-old son with Mr. Angdam, 22, travelling along with them.
They said they were previously employed sorting shoes at Rong Kluea market but returned to their country in June. As they could not get a job there they decided to illegally cross the border and return to their former employer.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Prasart Ta Muen Thom Temple.
Insert: Cambodian migrant workers arrested for illegally entering Thailand. All photos: Amarin TV
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