The 'eyes' guarding the Vietnam-Cambodia maritime border.

VnExpress•25/01/2024

The ship, coming from the direction of Cambodia, was traveling at six times the speed of the fishermen's boat, causing Lieutenant Nguyen Sy Tuan to keep his eyes glued to the radar screen.

On a night in August 2021, the ship penetrated deep into the scanning range of Radar Station 625 of the 551st Regiment, 5th Naval Region, located on Hon Doc Island (Ha Tien City, Kien Giang Province). The night was dark, the sea rough, but the ship continued at a speed of 19 nautical miles per hour. Tuan immediately reported to the duty officer. A quick meeting of the duty crew concluded that the ship might be carrying smuggled goods or attempting illegal border crossings, as fishing boats typically travel at 2-3 nautical miles per hour.

Lieutenant Tuan immediately reported the ship's position and distance, sent images of the vessel to the border guards in charge of inspection, and simultaneously reported to the naval command headquarters. The ship was apprehended by the ambush team of the Hon Chong Port Border Guard Station at 11:30 PM on August 14th in the waters of Kien Luong. Authorities subsequently verified that the ship was smuggling cigarettes from Cambodia.

Detecting smuggling vessels is just one of the tasks that radar on Hon Doc Island performs in protecting the airspace and border waters.

*A view of Hon Doc Island, January 2024. Photo: Hoang Phuong*

Bordering Kep province of Cambodia, Hon Doc, covering 11 square kilometers, is the largest island in the Hai Tac (Pirate) Islands archipelago, a location with many important trade routes between the two countries. A sovereignty marker erected in 1958 on the western side of Hon Doc clearly indicates the names of the islands. Seafarers still commonly refer to it as Hai Tac Island (Pirate Island) because it was once a target of pirate activity.

The Command of Naval Region 5 assessed: "Hon Doc has a strategic position in terms of national defense and security. Since the last century, it has been identified as one of the key islands in the coastal island system in the Southwest Sea." Therefore, about 20 years ago, Radar Station 625 was built on a high hill on Hon Doc.

Standing on the observation deck of Radar Station 625, one can clearly see several islands belonging to Kep province, located more than three nautical miles away. The radar waves become the "eyes" observing all movements in the waters off Ha Tien, including smuggling and illegal fishing activities. Naval radar acts as a target-line reconnaissance tool, providing information to maritime law enforcement forces so they can promptly handle any emerging situations.

Major Dinh Minh Suu, a non-commissioned officer, has worked for 20 years at Radar Station 225, located on Hon Doc Island. Photo: Hoang Phuong — *Major Dinh Minh Suu worked for 20 years at Radar Station 625 located on Hon Doc Island. Photo: Hoang Phuong*

After 30 years of observing radar screens, Major Dinh Minh Suu, Head of the Radar Department at Station 625, has gained experience in identifying smuggling vessels through several unusual signs regarding speed, direction, and time of operation. They often travel at high speeds at night and do not dare to move slowly like fishermen's boats for fear of attracting the attention of maritime patrol forces.

The main smuggled goods from Cambodia a few decades ago were precious timber, but now they've shifted to consumer goods like sugar, cigarettes, gasoline, and tax-evading items. Facing intense crackdowns, the smuggling rings sometimes disguise themselves as fishermen's boats or take advantage of the dense vegetation and tree cover along the island's coast to avoid detection by naval radar.

Radar operators, therefore, must always be alert during their shifts, never taking their eyes off the screen even for a few minutes. Several people take turns observing the screen. This high level of concentration becomes a challenge for new recruits, while experienced personnel easily suffer from eye strain or joint pain from sitting in front of the screen for long periods.

During stormy seasons with thunder and lightning, or the dense fog at the end of the year, and even on sunny days with rising humidity, Major Sửu's eyesight was at its worst. His visibility was sometimes reduced to half of normal due to the weather. At such times, besides using equipment, he had to rely on his eyesight and observational skills to anticipate unforeseen circumstances. After the rain, when the sky cleared and the sea calmed, everything became much easier to see clearly.

*Officers at Radar Station 625 on target observation duty, January 2024. Photo: Hoang Phuong*

At 52 years old, Major Sửu was among those who laid the foundation for Radar Station 625 and has remained there ever since. He remembers the early days when the island had no roads, and boats only made one trip a day, causing severe seasickness and vomiting.

Now, electricity and water tanks are available. The rows of stuffy, corrugated iron-roofed houses have been replaced by high-rise buildings. But the duty of the soldiers remains "the same, not a moment's carelessness." Because the more bustling the trade becomes, the more new types of crime emerge.

"The tasks are becoming more challenging, but the equipment is also more modern. We need to learn a lot to operate it and keep up with the younger generation," he said with a smile. He also shared his professional experience with the young soldiers. He believes that love for the job is paramount, because only then can one stay committed to working with radar equipment for the long term.

*A view of a Cambodian island from the observation deck of Radar Station 625. Photo: Hoang Phuong*

Lieutenant Nguyen Tuan Anh, Head of Radar Station 625, said that as Tet approaches, the unit focuses on areas with potential smuggling activity to monitor the situation, observing 24/7 and verifying information on suspicious and irregular vessels. In addition to equipment, their reconnaissance capabilities also rely on information provided by fishermen who stay at sea.

The southwestern sea area covers more than 150,000 km2 and belongs to the two provinces of Kien Giang and Ca Mau . The sea surface contains more than 150 islands, 46 of which are inhabited, belonging to the archipelagos of An Thoi, Hai Tac, Ba Lua, Nam Du, and Tho Chu. The coastline is approximately 450 km long, stretching from the mouth of the Ganh Hao River (Bac Lieu) to Ha Tien (Kien Giang).

The maritime area still includes the historical waters of Vietnam and Cambodia, covering approximately 16,000 km2, and the overlapping area between Vietnam and Malaysia, approximately 2,800 km2. These areas have not been clearly demarcated in terms of sovereignty and sovereign rights, causing difficulties in management.

Hoang Phuong - Vnexpress.net

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