Site Two Refugee Camp was the largest refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border and, for several years, the largest refugee camp in South East Asia. The camp was established in January 1985 during the 1984-1985 Vietnamese ‘Dry season offensive’ against guerrilla forces opposing Vietnam’s occupation of Cambodia. Site Two was closed in mid-1993 and the great majority of its population was voluntarily returned to Cambodia.
The camp covered 7.5 square kilometres. Site Two was intended as a civilian camp and the Khmer Peoples Liberation Forces were based in other locations. One section of the camp was reserved for Vietnamese refugees and beginning in January 1988 Thailand transferred Vietnamese boat people directly to Site Two. Between 1989 and 1991 the camp’s population went from 145,000 to over 198,000.
These camps did have a complete infrastructure including bicycle taxi’s transporting people to hospitals, shops, crematoriums or ‘5 bath street’ with prostitutes.
On a per person basis rice, canned or dried fish, one egg and a vegetable were distributed weekly at Site Two; dried beans, oil, salt, and wheat flour were given once a month.
Medical services were provided by 5 dirt-floored, thatched bamboo hospitals and 8 outpatient clinics staffed by doctors and nurses from international voluntary agencies as well as Khmer medics and nurses. There was no surgical facility.
The School system consisted of some fifty primary schools with an enrollment of approximately 70,000 pupils; three middle schools and three high schools with approximately 7,000 students, and more than 10,000 adults in literacy and vocational skills programs. Instruction was provided in Khmer by some 1,300 primary and over 300 secondary teachers recruited almost entirely from within the camps.
The Khmer Police took care of traditional police functions within Site Two
View of the campsite. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Aereal view of Site 2. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Entrance. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2 for Cambodian refugees from the Khmer Rouge.
Aranyaprathet. Entrance of Site 2 South.
Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
People waiting for food distribution. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Refugee children. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Little girls born and living in refugeecamp Site 2.
Refugee children. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Refugee children. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Group of Vietnamese refugees from Cambodia. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Camp kitchens. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Camp shop. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Camp nurses inspect a child's eye. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Cycle taxi's for camp transport. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Food distribution. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Food (rice)distribution. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Members of the Khmer Rouge -victims of landmines- cross the Cambodian border into Site 2 to make or receive artificial limbs.
Khmer Rouge soldier gets an artificial leg. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Buddhist monks walk in front of a funeral group. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2.
Funeral procession. Aranyaprathet Border camp Site 2,
Funeral ceremony in Site 2.