Cambodian national cleared of espionage after investigation finds no security threat

Following an investigation on July 28, the Chanthaburi Marine Taskforce clarified that Oeun Khoem, a 43-year-old Cambodian national, was not involved in espionage. He was initially suspected of being a Cambodian soldier gathering intelligence in the Chanthaburi area.

Oeun Khoem, who has been living in Thailand for around 20 years, cooperated fully with the authorities and explained that he worked as a fruit picker in Pong Nam Ron, Chanthaburi, where he lives with his Cambodian wife and child. He is fluent in Thai and had his home searched by the authorities. 

During the search, multiple Cambodian military uniforms, including insignia with the rank of "Second Lieutenant," as well as other military clothing, were found. Oeun Khoem stated that he had purchased these items from a store in Cambodia via Facebook under the name "Khan Sopheach," with his latest order placed on February 15. The items were delivered to a pick-up location at the Ban Laem border crossing in Pong Nam Ron, Chanthaburi. 

He admitted to having a personal interest in Cambodian military uniforms and had aspired to join the Cambodian army, but he was unable to pursue this due to a lack of formal education, which prevented him from passing the recruitment process.

Further investigation into his phone revealed numerous images of him wearing Cambodian military uniforms and sharing news about Thailand's situation on Facebook. However, the authorities, in coordination with Chanthaburi Provincial Police, used specialised tools to conduct a thorough investigation into his phone.

Upon examination, no evidence was found linking Oeun Khoem to espionage activities, such as photographing sensitive locations, sharing GPS coordinates, or transmitting data that could jeopardise Thailand's security. The investigation concluded that he had not sent any compromising information to others.