Pailin (city)

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ប៉ៃលិន
Pailin
Pailin (city) (Cambodia)
Red pog.svg
Coordinates 12 ° 51 '  N , 102 ° 37'  E Coordinates: 12 ° 51 '  N , 102 ° 37'  E
Basic data
Country Cambodia

province

Pailin
ISO 3166-2 KH-24
Residents 31,442 (2004)

Pailin ( Khmer ប៉ៃលិន , transcription: Pailĭn , IPA : [ pai̯lin ]) is a city in western Cambodia near the border with Thailand , around 80 kilometers southwest of Battambang and 20 kilometers from the Thai border. About 30,000 people live in Pailin (2004).

For a long time Pailin was considered a "mysterious" place in West Cambodia: between 1979 and 1997 the region around Pailin served as a retreat for leading Khmer Rouge officials ( Ieng Sary , Nuon Chea ), who with their guerrilla troops against the government in Phnom Penh fought.

history

Although the Khmer Rouge signed the Paris Peace Agreement in 1991, they refused to disarm their forces. When the UNTAC boss Yasushi Akashi wanted to go to Pailin in 1992 , they refused entry. The 1993 elections were boycotted by the Khmer Rouge. In 1994 Pailin was conquered by government troops from Hun Sens and the Khmer Rouge fled. A few weeks later, however, they managed to recapture “their” city.

In 1996, the Khmer Rouge, signed in Pailin with Ieng Sary an agreement with Prime Minister Hun Sen: the Khmer Rouge committed themselves to give up their armed resistance and not in the political debates between the CPP , Hun Sen and the FUNCINPEC , Prince Norodom Ranariddh , interfere . In return, the Khmer Rouge received amnesty and permission to exclusively exploit and market the abundant gem and precious wood deposits in Pailin. Until 2001 Pailin belonged to Battambang Province, since then Pailĭn enjoyed the status of a special zone. In 2008, the Pailin Special Zone was converted into the Pailin Province by royal decree .

In 1997 Pailin hit the headlines - at least in Cambodia: a peace march led by the Buddhist monk Maha Ghosananda , the "Gandhi" of Cambodia, led from Battambang to Pailon. After the peace marchers arrived in Pailin, Ghosananda and Ieng Sary met briefly. In June 2005, King Norodom Sihamoni Pailin visited , there was no meeting with Nuon Chea and Ieng Sary - for reasons of their "old age" and "poor health".

economy

Today, Pailin's economy is essentially based on three pillars: the precious stone mines, the precious wood deposits and the gaming casinos on the Cambodian-Thai border. Casino Caesar International is operated by the Khmer Rouge functionary Ieng Sary and the son of the Cambodian tycoon Teng Bunma . In addition, Pailin serves as a base for clearing mines that were laid in the region between 1975 and 1991.

Travel advice

The national road 57 from Battambang to Pailin and on to the border with Thailand is a paved country road. The road is gravel within the Pailin district. The Psah Prum border crossing near Pailin to Thailand has also been open to foreigners since January 2004. The region of Pailin is classified by the WHO as Malaria Tropica .

Attractions

  • New market hall
  • Wat Khaong Kang (Buddhist Monastery)
  • Bor Hoi waterfalls
  • Casinos (Caesar International Resort and Pailin Casino)

literature

  • The Pailin Gem Miners. In: GEO magazine. 10/1991
  • Jutta Lietsch: The boom city of genocide. In: The daily newspaper. September 15, 1997

Web links

Commons : Pailin  - collection of images, videos and audio files