CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS WERE CONTINUING DEFENCE PREPARATIONS IN THE CAPITAL, PHNOM PENH ON SUNDAY (3 MAY) AS REPORTS MOUNTED THAT NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES HAD OCCUPIED MUCH OF CAMBODIA EAST OF THE MEKONG RIVER.

CRASH TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR NEW RECRUITS TO THE CAMBODIAN ARMY WERE UNDERWAY AT A BARRACKS NEAR THE CITY.

TROOPS WERE MORE IN EVIDENCE IN PHNOM PENH AND DEFENSIVE GUN POSITIONS WERE BEING PREPARED AT STRATEGIC SITES. VIETCONG AND NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES HAD PUSHED TO WITHIN 28 MILES (40 KMS) OF THE CAPITAL ON MONDAY (4 MAY). FOUR BATTALIONS OF GOVERNMENT TROOPS WERE MOVING IN TO HOLD THE COMMUNIST ATTACK. CAMBODIAN MERCENARIES FIGHTING IN SOUTH VIETNAM WERE EXPECTED TO BE FLOWN HOME TO HELP IN THE DEFENCE OF THE CAPITAL.

THE ARMY HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND THE NEW RECRUITS HAVE BEEN UNDERGOING EMERGENCY TRAINING. THE GUNS THEY TRAIN WITH ARE WORLD WAR II NON-AUTOMATIC RIFLES.