Oddar meanchey: An international delegation of journalists from China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia travelled to Oddar Meanchey province today to inspect sites impacted by Thai military airstrikes.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the group visited areas hit by bombs and artillery shells, including civilian residences in Pa Ong village, Samrong city, and locations in Thmar Doun village, Banteay Ampil district. The sites included several civilian structures, such as the Tamone Sen Chey Health Centre, a fuel station, Tamone Sen Chey Pagoda, and Tamone Sen Chey Primary School, all of which were damaged during the recent armed clashes with Thailand.
Officials, including Oddar Meanchey Provincial Governor H.E. Mean Chanyada and Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) Director-General H.E. Heng Ratana, welcomed the journalists. The delegation conducted on-site assessments in Pa Ong village, where 105mm, 127mm, and 155mm artillery shells struck residential areas. In Thmar Doun village, the journalists observed the impact of MK-84 bombs, weighing over one tonne, that were dropped on civilian homes by Thai F-16 fighter jets.
During the tour, H.E. Heng Ratana delivered a presentation on the dangers of the heavy ordnance used by Thai forces, which targeted civilian areas. He also shared CMAC's plans for clearing unexploded ordnance, which contains toxic substances that pose severe health risks to the local population.
The visit was part of a regional workshop, "Safety and Risk Management in Conflict Reporting," organised by Cambodia's Ministry of Information. The workshop and field visits were designed to provide journalists with deeper insights into reporting on conflict-affected environments.
The delegation also visited other sites affected by the conflict. Yesterday, the group toured a temporary shelter in Preah Vihear province and interviewed displaced residents. They also visited villages in Banteay Meanchey province, where Thai forces had reportedly set up barbed wire around Cambodian civilian homes.