Two Villagers Insist Armed Men Were Cambodian Soldiers Who Opened Fire and Crossed into Thailand, Claim They're Former Rangers with Different Accents
Two villagers from Buriram's border area insist armed men who fired at them on May 8 were Cambodian soldiers, not Thai troops as the military claims, citing their ability to distinguish accents and military uniforms.
Two forest foragers from Prasart subdistrict in Ban Kruat, Buriram province remain adamant that they encountered Cambodian soldiers conducting patrols on Thai territory during a nighttime outing on May 8, forcing them to flee after the soldiers attempted to capture them and fired one gunshot. The men—63-year-old Aphirak and 59-year-old Prayoon—have undergone spiritual cleansing rituals and received support from their community. Aphirak expressed disappointment with the Army spokesman's dismissal of the incident as a misunderstanding, emphasizing that he can speak Cambodian, confirming the soldiers' identity, and noting that as a former ranger, he knows the difference between Thai and Cambodian military personnel. He stressed that while their languages are similar, they are not the same, and communication was nearly impossible. "What won't we understand," he asked rhetorically, criticizing the spokesman's inconsistent statements as damaging public trust. Aphirak insisted the foraging area was well within Thai territory, at least two kilometers from the border, and called on the military to find solutions rather than burden civilians with confronting Cambodian troops alone. Prayoon corroborated the account, noting he was the first to speak with the Cambodian soldier and immediately recognized them by their accent and fully armed appearance. He credited their escape to superior knowledge of the terrain. Aphirak's wife added that she hopes relevant authorities take the incident seriously to enhance safety measures in the area, without seeking to create further controversy.
