Cambodian navy orders Thai tanker out of its waters

The Cambodian Navy expelled a Thai oil tanker, anchored in Sihanoukville province, from its waters on Friday, alleging that it had violated the Cambodian government’s ban on oil imports from Thailand and had entered its waters illegally.

According to the Khmer Times, the tanker is named ‘Chetthanabodi 6’.

The move follows a ban, issued on June 22, halting the import of fuel, gas, vegetables and fruit from Thailand, amid heightened border tensions between the two countries.

The presence of the tanker was first reported by the popular Thai Facebook page CSI LA, which used the MarineTraffic vessel tracking website to reveal that the tanker had entered Sihanoukville waters on June 24, fully loaded with oil, and was waiting to unload.

The post criticised Cambodia’s strongman Hun Sen, calling him hypocritical for publicly announcing a ban on oil imports from Thailand while allowing the Thai tanker to deliver oil in secret.

In issuing the ban, the Cambodian government expressed confidence that it could procure alternative sources of power and fuel for the Cambodian people.