Buriram frog hunter flees 10 armed Cambodian soldiers inside Thai territory

A 63 year old man from Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, got the fright of his life while frog hunting near a dam behind his village, after stumbling upon ten armed Cambodian soldiers on what he believes was Thai soil.

Apirak Butphet was out with two companions when they spotted three flashlights in the dark. Assuming they were fellow villagers, he approached and asked about their catch, only to find himself face to face with soldiers carrying guns and knives.

Both sides were startled. Apirak tried to explain they were simply hunting frogs, but the language barrier made communication impossible.

He quietly slipped away and switched off his flashlight. Around ten more soldiers then gave chase, forcing him to hide in nearby bushes and discard his catch to move faster. His companions fled by a separate route. The group stayed hidden for roughly two hours before emerging, leaving the motorcycle behind to make their escape. Gunshots were heard during the pursuit.

Apirak said their hunting spot was 1 to 2 kilometres inside Thailand from the border. He was puzzled by how far the soldiers had ventured in, though he acknowledged the area is a known passage for smugglers and contraband, reported KhaoSod.

In another separate incident, Cambodian officials arrested a Thai dancer and his girlfriend at a border checkpoint in O Smach after the pair disappeared following a job offer that led them into a call centre scam operation.