Khmer Rough divided Cambodian Territory 7 Region, Kratie the Main Region

 Khmer Rough regime, 1975-1979, Kingdom of Cambodia was divided into small area for administration control and changed not only people name but also all province and district name.

The territory was divided into seven regions: Northwest is call 560 village, North or village 303, Northeast village 104, the East is call village 203, Southwest is call village 404, West is call village 401, middle region and special region call Kraches 405. Some provinces were called by number.
Posat province and Battambang province were in 560 region in which had seven sub-regions.  Siem Reap, Udor Meanchey (106), Preah Vihea (103), Kampong Thom (303) and one part of Steng Treng were divided into 303 regions.
Ratanakiri (102), Mudolkiri (105), and one part of Steng Treng divided into 104 region. Besides, in 203 regions there were one part of Kraches province, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Svay Reang and one part of Kandal province and divided into sub-regions. For 405 region there were one part of Kandal province, Takeo, Kampot and one part of Kampong Speu province and there were three sub-regions 13,, 33& 35. Another region called 401 there were Kampong Chnnang, Koh Kong and one part of Kampong Speu which divided into three sub-regions 11, 31, 32 and the whole Kampong Som province called 37 region.
There was no specific geography for middle region but some documents said it located in some part of Kampong Cham province in the north of Mekong River. Special region (405) covered only on Kraches province.
All regions called by number was not in order and some district name also replaced by number such as Leuk Dek called 14, Ken Svay called 16, Sa Ang called 20, Koh Thom called 18 and Kandal Steng called 154…..
Even there were not support documents shown clearly “who” prepared the number for those regions, some people thought it must be a skillful person who can divided and prepared those regions on the map. No one knew the reason Khmer Rough had to change the name of districts and provinces. Some confirmed that Khmer Rough wants everything new and hate the previously social structures.

Extracted from: – Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.14, #4121, Wednesday  01 November  2006