Family Correspondents-turned Soldiers at Preah Vihear
Friday, September 12, 2008 - Author Tiep Seiha
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During a month-long military standoff between the Thai and Khmer army in the dispute area, Khmer soldiers, who have been deployed to guard the temple and to confront the Thai black uniform army, have become phone reporters about the national interest event and the beautiful views of the temple mountain.
Sitting cross-legged on the 900-year-old scattering ruins in the middle part of temple, General Chhin Sarom recalls he event that happened at the night of July 16 in the pagoda to his siblings. He says on the phone, "When I arrived at around 9 pm, they (Thai soldiers) didn't allow us to enter the pagoda, but we still went inside." "Then, although Thai soldiers insisted going up to the temple, we didn't allow," he continued speaking.
Sarom talked about the early night of the military standoff in Keo Mony Sekha Svarak pagoda located just 300m below the World Heritage site, Preah Vihear temple. He adds, 'We had a long argument with each other till 1 am." He tried to convince his relative not to worry about his safety.
"I have to call my family and children living with my parents in Kompong Cham. I have to inform my wife who is on the way to my military camp in Siem Reap, that I am doing ok here even though I am in the frontline," he says.
He had been calling his children, wife, and his siblings who told him not to be too courageous in the battle field. "I told them I would not escape from the battlefield I would stay here to protect my temple," he says bravely.
General Sarom has two phones--012 and 011. He just called his family after a four-day standoff at the disputed area with the Thai black soldiers. While he was calling his wife, his phone nearly ran out of credit. He later called his brother, a grocery seller in Phnom Penh to scratch a $ 5 phone card for him. After a while, his brother called him back and told him about the code number of the phone card. Sarom thanked and told his brothers that he was feeling okay though the situation is a bit bitter there.
While he was trying to call another one, his brother living in Poi Pet (the main border gate between Thailand-Cambodia) called him and asked about the situation in Preah Vihear.
"My relatives long to know about the situation happening here (Preah Vihear temple), on the other hand, some newspapers just don't report clearly about the numbers of the troop," he says. "We have to tell them what we saw here, so they can feel relieved."
Other soldiers like General Sarom started to become their family correspondent. To let their family know what is happening to them and how they are feeling about the current situation there, those soldiers have taken up a new position.
Phone signal standoff
Not only the military standoff in pagoda exists, but also the phone signal standoff does—DTAC &THGSM of the Thai company versus the Cambodian company CAMSHIN & MOBITEL.
However, they could find the Cambodian signal in a few areas such as the south cliff of Preah Vihear Mountain called "Pey Ta Dy", the middle part of Preah Vihear temple, and the eastern cliff near the Preah Vihear authority office.
Chhin Sarom said he had to spend around one hour finding the Khmer phone signal; otherwise, he used the Thai signal that cost him a lot of money.
Sitha, 20-year-old soldier, was sitting with a disappointed face because he just lost all the money in his phone account after he had received his mother's call for a minute. Sitha used Thai phone service unintentionally. This service charges 2.5 $ per minute for all the costumers who use cross-network service.
In the evening, most of the people, especially military police went to Pey Ta Dy to find the Khmer signal. Some stood; some sat. Some were talking happily with their families and told them about the situation here. Some sat and waited for return calls from their families, because they had little money to call back. Some phones were getting very difficult to go through.
There is a small cave under Pey Ta Dy where people can see the Cambodian forest view. At around 5 o'clock, three young men from the police military were talking sweetly to their girlfriends. One guy was standing and walking around while the others were sitting and trying to dial to their lovers.
One guy who was lucky to call his girlfriend first said, "Hey darling, this place has a beautiful view like paradise. I want you to share this moment with me to see such a breath-taking view."
He described the prosperous views of the top Preah Vihear Mountain's view as well as the temple itself to his girlfriend. He comforted his girlfriend by saying that the situation here is quite calm by explaining the minister's talks that would come soon. He gave her girlfriend no specific date when he was going to meet her again and had to wait for the result of the talks.
At 6:30 in the evening, when the sun nearly set down completely, the dark came with a fog bank that made everyone unable to see each other's face clearly.
The three young men said goodbye unwillingly to their girlfriends and stumbled back to their camp put up right next to the temple. They got no clue about anything that would happen tomorrow.
By Prum Seila
