Thai-Khmer rouge links, and the illegal trade in Cambodia's timber

Global Witness reports that despite a May 1, 1995, timber export ban by the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC), illegal timber continues to enter Thailand via land and sea. The investigation finds that Thai military officers and companies maintain direct trade links with the Khmer Rouge, with some companies signing multi-year concessions. Global Witness estimates the Khmer Rouge earn between US$10 million and US$20 million per month from the timber trade. The report highlights that the Thai government is undermining the 1991 Paris Peace Accords and the RGC's efforts to curb deforestation, which has already contributed to rice harvest failures and malnutrition in Cambodia.

• Despite the Royal Government of Cambodia's (RGC) timber export ban effective May 1, 1995, illegal timber continues to enter Thailand by land and sea, often with the tacit approval of Thai authorities.
• The illegal timber trade provides significant financial support to the Khmer Rouge, with total monthly earnings estimated between US$10 million and US$20 million.
• Thai government officials and military personnel are complicit in the illegal trade; the Thai Interior Minister signed import permits for companies trading with the Khmer Rouge, and a Thai Army lieutenant was observed coordinating cutting and removal of logs with a Khmer Rouge commander.
• The Royal Government of Cambodia has granted massive illegal timber concessions, including one covering 800,000 hectares (12% of remaining forest) to the Malaysian Samling Corporation, potentially breaching the national constitution and UN resolution 1803.
• Deforestation in Cambodia has led to severe environmental and social consequences, including floods and droughts that caused a failure of the 1994 rice harvest and subsequent malnutrition among villagers.
• Thailand is in breach of its obligations under the 1991 Paris Peace Accords and is undermining the UN mission and the ICORC process in Cambodia by supporting the Khmer Rouge through illegal trade.

APA

Global Witness (1995). Thai-Khmer rouge links, and the illegal trade in Cambodia's timber. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/thai-khmer-rouge-links-and-the-illegal-trade-in-cambodias-timber/

Chicago

Global Witness. Thai-Khmer rouge links, and the illegal trade in Cambodia's timber. 1995. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/thai-khmer-rouge-links-and-the-illegal-trade-in-cambodias-timber/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Thai-Khmer rouge links, and the illegal trade in Cambodia's timber |date=1995 |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/thai-khmer-rouge-links-and-the-illegal-trade-in-cambodias-timber/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitness1995thaikhmer, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Thai-Khmer rouge links, and the illegal trade in Cambodia's timber}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {1995}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/thai-khmer-rouge-links-and-the-illegal-trade-in-cambodias-timber/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }