Concerns over Thais farming in northwest

[geovalin]

Pech Sotheary

Thai villagers have been ploughing paddy fields in Banteay Meanchey province for more than a month despite repeated interventions by Cambodian villagers and authorities, a commune chief and a rights worker said yesterday.

The O’Beichoan commune chief, Suong Meung, said in the past five days areas in the commune in O’Chrou district had been encroached on by two or three Thai tractors.

“Most of this happened in places where [Thailand] used to cultivate,” he said, explaining that the area had since been deemed a “buffer zone” and farming banned.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/concerns-over-thais-farming-northwest