Cambodians Illegally Stockpiling Fuel Amidst Shortage in Sa Kaeo

Initial reports and observations of Cambodian nationals filling and transporting large quantities of fuel in canisters from gas stations in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo.

A news team investigates claims of Cambodians stockpiling fuel during a shortage, observing vehicles with Cambodian license plates and large fuel canisters.

Witnesses describe seeing Cambodian SUVs and motorcycle sidecars filled with fuel canisters, raising questions about how they are entering the country.

A gas station attendant reportedly sold fuel to regular Cambodian customers, suggesting potential complicity in the stockpiling.

The news team surveils gas stations, noting signs indicating fuel shortages and observing more Cambodian vehicles with fuel canisters.

The team follows a Cambodian motorcycle with a sidecar full of canisters to a shop, then observes it moving on.

The team follows a Cambodian motorcycle sidecar with fuel canisters, but the driver becomes suspicious and drives away when noticing the Bangkok-registered car.

A gas station posts a sign indicating it's out of fuel, yet Cambodian motorcycles with canisters are still seen refueling.

The team tracks a motorcycle sidecar to a building suspected of being a storage point for the illegally obtained fuel.

A local resident explains that Chinese businessmen employ Cambodian drivers with sidecars to buy large fuel canisters, potentially creating loopholes for stockpiling.

The team investigates natural and man-made routes used for smuggling goods, including fuel, from Thailand to Cambodia.

The route is lined with warehouses, many with Cambodian script, and a high concentration of Cambodian motorcycle sidecars.

The area is very close to the Cambodian border, with a tall building identified as being in Poipet, Cambodia.

A section of the border with no fence, characterized by trees and grass, is identified as a potential smuggling path.

A dirt track through a eucalyptus and sugarcane field is believed to be a route for smuggling, not just motorcycles but other goods as well.

A canal separating Thailand and Cambodia is identified as a key route for smuggling goods, including fuel.

The canal is narrow in places, allowing for passage by boat or even wading, with numerous points along its banks suitable for covert crossings.

A specific point along the canal, not wide and covered by vegetation, is highlighted as a high-risk area for smuggling.

Besides fuel, locals report the smuggling of cattle into Cambodia using a deceptive method of gradual disappearance from herds.

Cattle are brought in and kept near the border, with a few animals taken at a time, making it appear as normal livestock management to officials.

A map shows the Thailand-Cambodia border, with the Nam Sai Canal acting as a natural divider, easily crossable at shallow points.

Visible trails through the grass indicate regular foot traffic crossing the border at shallow points in the canal.

The canal is very shallow, allowing people to walk across to Cambodia just a few meters away, with clear signs of passage on the Cambodian side.

Despite official efforts, the report concludes that determined individuals will always find ways to smuggle goods, highlighting the ongoing challenges.

The ongoing fuel smuggling points to a significant energy crisis in Cambodia, prompting desperate measures.