Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday urged Thai soldiers not open fire on Cambodian villagers who illegally cross border for jobs in Thailand, saying the shooting is an "inhuman act against Cambodian villagers," said the ministry in a letter to the Thai Embassy here.

The complaint letter came after the latest accident on May 2 when Thai soldiers shot at a group of Cambodian villagers who crossed the border into Thailand looking for jobs in Sakeo province, killing a 31 year-old man named Sam Ream.

"It is another inhuman act against Cambodian villagers, in addition to five other such accidents that have occurred, since January this year," the ministry said.

"This fatal shooting constitutes a deliberate act of cruelty and a violation of the spirit of Point 77 of the Record of Discussion of the 6th meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia, on August 3-4, 2009, as well as internationally accepted humanitarian principles, " it said.

"The government of Cambodia wishes to reiterate its earnest request to the Thai authorities concerned to take appropriate action to prevent further deliberate and extrajudicial killing of Cambodian villagers," it said.

According to the government records, so far this year, nine Cambodian villagers have been killed by Thai soldiers when they crossed border for jobs or logging.