Sakaeo Holding Centre opened in October 1979 in response to the influx of refugees from Khmer Rouge areas at the Thai border. On October 10th, 60,000 crossed at Khlong Wa and Khlong Gai Thuen, and on October 24th, 30,000 of these entered Sakaeo. Many of these people were in terrible condition, and it was their images that alerted the international press. On November 9th, United States First Lady Rosalynn Carter visited Sakaeo and was appalled by what she saw (and probably by the behaviour of some of her aides). The camp was organized and dominated to a large extent by the Khmer Rouge, who actively encouraged the ‘voluntary repatriation’ which began from June 17th-18th, 1980 from KID and Sakaeo. Amid increasing fears of a cholera outbreak, Sakaeo HC was closed in early July and most of the refugees moved to the new site, Sakaeo II. About 5,000 moved to KID.