Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE KHMER ROUGE IN PAILIN
After being ousted from power in 1979, the Khmer Rouge found a natural bolthole in remote
Pailin, waging a disruptive guerrilla war against the government in Phnom Penh, supporting
their campaigns by tapping into the area's rich natural resources including gemstones and
untouched forests - it's said that gem-mining alone earned them a monthly revenue of $10
million. They held out until August 1996 when, in a move that marked the beginning of the
end for the Khmer Rouge, Ieng Sary , the local commander, struck a deal with the Cambodian
government, gaining immunity from prosecution for himself and taking three thousand
defectors over to the government side - although the Khmer Rouge managed to maintain a
foothold in the remote Dangkrek Escarpment on the border with Thailand right up until the
death of Pol Pot in 1998. The war was vicious and the border area is still the most heavily
mined region in the country - under no circumstances wander from clearly defined tracks.
2
obsession with the subject the main reason for coming here is to cross the border
into Thailand, around 20km away. Other local attractions include the hill of
Phnom Yat and a couple of waterfalls in the surrounding countryside, although the
poorness of the roads and the ever-present danger of land mines doesn't really
encourage you to explore.
Phnom Yat
1km or so south of the centre, on the southern edge of town • Walk, or catch a moto for around $1 or $3 return
South of Pailin centre is the small but unmistakeable hill of Phnom Yat , its
summit dominated by mobile-telephone transmitters and a modern temple and
stupa. A peaceful vantage point from which to watch the sunset, the hill was
named after a Buddhist pilgrim couple who arrived in Pailin at the end of the
nineteenth century. Hunting and gem-mining had already begun to destroy the
countryside, and Yeah Yat and her husband set up a meditation centre on the hill
where they could be close to nature and the mountain spirits. Yat began to receive
messages from the spirits that there would continue to be a plentiful supply of
gems in the soil as long as the miners respected the land, built temples and made
appropriate offerings. As word of this prediction spread, superstitious miners
did as they were told and continued to find gems; today, however, their luck is
growing thin (although you might see visitors vainly scratching about in the
soil around the temple). Locals say that to prevent bad luck, before you leave
Pailin you should make a small offering and thank the spirits for letting you use
their water and air.
Gory tableaux at the temple illustrate the fate that befalls those destined for hell,
including a man having his tongue pulled out and another being boiled in oil. Tucked
away behind the modern vihara is all that's left of the previous pagoda - wall paintings,
floor tiles and a cracked stupa - after it was destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. At the
bottom of the hill, the wall enclosing Wat Ratanasaoporn is covered in impressive
bas-reliefs depicting the Churning of the Ocean of Milk (see p.169).
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
PAILIN
By bus or shared taxi Pailin can be reached by bus or
shared taxi from Battambang, a smooth 80km trip along
NR57. There's currently just one bus daily, with Paramount
Angkor (2hr), continuing on to the Thai border. Shared taxis
to Pailin depart from Psar Leu in the south of Battambang
(6 daily; 1hr 30min), and reasonably regular shared taxis
head on from Pailin to the border.
Money Although dollars and riel are both accepted in
town, the Thai baht is the currency of choice. There are
branches of the Canadia and Acleda banks on the main road
near the tra c circle.
CROSSING TO THAILAND FROM PAILIN
Not many travellers use the border crossing into Thailand
(daily 7am-8pm) between Psar Pruhm and Ban Pakard,
20km from Pailin, although it's a lot more peaceful than the
 
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