Arriving In Thailand

We arrived at the border as it was getting dark. The crossing

was a mountain passage. As we were stopped at the check point,

the tractor wagon I was on started to roll backwards, but the driver

was quick to gain control of the situation and saved us from rolling

down the mountain. When the border watchers were satisfied

with our reason for coming to their country, we were ushered in to

Thailand. Beyond the check point, as we got deeper into Thai

territory, there were other refugees that had gotten there before

us. The commotions went on all night with helicopters ferrying

people in from Cambodia, I assume. I went to sleep in the midst

of the chaotic activities to await a new beginning.

At this point I want to present the situation of the refugees that

would come into Thailand later on from Cambodia. We, being the

first waves of refugees, got a red carpet treatment from the Thai

government due to the presence of the U.S officials

in Thailand. The U.S had just withdrawn from Cambodia before

the country fell. What I'm about to expose of the situation is

from a book I read concerning the matter that transpired.

There are two accounts I will mention:

1. 600 or more refugees were shipped out by army trucks

driven by Thai soldiers to a cliff and probably pushed

off the cliff at the border in a secluded area. There were no

other explanations of what they might have done with them. Due

to how they did treat other refugees that sought refuge

in their land, the conclusion is not too presumptuous according to the author.

2. 40,000 were forced back after they were stripped of the little

valuable possessions they had along. They send them back by

way of rugged terrain laiden with land mines. How many survived,

no one knows. They either died by stepping on land mines,

died of starvation and thirst, or died by the sword of the Khmer Rouge.

If it had not been for humanitarian organizations coming to our aid, I hate

to speculate the plight of my people in the time of our distress.

The quality of mercy wasn't there from the Thai government, nor

from the UN, though their aid was much appreciated on behalf of

my people, thought it was not without a price for them to get gain at the

expense of the unfortunate. The Thai government relented later on

after they saw the plight of my people. On behalf of my Khmer

people, I want to thank all that brought relief to our suffering. I

know this is 30 years late. I was not the one that experienced

the winds of calamity that did befall us. I was too adventurous.