Original report from Phnom Penh
28 August 2009
A Thai provincial court on Friday postponed a hearing for 16 Cambodians who have been charged with illegal entry and illegal logging on Thai soil.
The group was arrested late last month, but Cambodian officials say they had not crossed into Thailand when they were arrested. The Ubon provincial court will hear the case Sept. 23.
The Cambodians live near the disputed border at Preah Vihear temple, and officials say they were looking for wild honey and wood in the forest.
“The Thai court ordered a reinvestigation of the cases…because there was not enough evidence to try them,” said Koy Kong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The 16 had “absolutely denied” the charges against them, leading to the decision, he said.
Cambodia is providing an independent lawyer to defend them, and the consulate in Sras Keo province was working hard on the case as well, he said.
Sar Thavy, Preah Vihear deputy governor, said he had requested the 16 be returned.
“I believe the Cambodians could not go to cut trees inside Thailand, because the mountain is high and the walk is difficult to the top of the mountain,” he said.
The case comes at a time of easing tensions over a longstanding border dispute, with Cambodians withdrawing some of its troops from positions near Preah Vihear temple earlier this week.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Banteay Meanchey provincial court sentenced a Thai man to three months in jail for illegal entry into Cambodia.
Authorities had originally sought to charge him for insulting the national symbol of Angkor Wat, by carving its image into cement near a public toilet in Poipet.
The group was arrested late last month, but Cambodian officials say they had not crossed into Thailand when they were arrested. The Ubon provincial court will hear the case Sept. 23.
The Cambodians live near the disputed border at Preah Vihear temple, and officials say they were looking for wild honey and wood in the forest.
“The Thai court ordered a reinvestigation of the cases…because there was not enough evidence to try them,” said Koy Kong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The 16 had “absolutely denied” the charges against them, leading to the decision, he said.
Cambodia is providing an independent lawyer to defend them, and the consulate in Sras Keo province was working hard on the case as well, he said.
Sar Thavy, Preah Vihear deputy governor, said he had requested the 16 be returned.
“I believe the Cambodians could not go to cut trees inside Thailand, because the mountain is high and the walk is difficult to the top of the mountain,” he said.
The case comes at a time of easing tensions over a longstanding border dispute, with Cambodians withdrawing some of its troops from positions near Preah Vihear temple earlier this week.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Banteay Meanchey provincial court sentenced a Thai man to three months in jail for illegal entry into Cambodia.
Authorities had originally sought to charge him for insulting the national symbol of Angkor Wat, by carving its image into cement near a public toilet in Poipet.
11 comments:
It is hard to find evidence while the crime was not committed. If there is not enough evidence, they must be released.
Why these khmer people never learns their lessons? they already knew how dangerous by crossing over into Thailand and illegally logging? these khmer people are stubborn people, i know we are poor! and needed jobs!, but you must think carefully! is it worth to risking your life like that? getting shot at by Thai black soldier! during pol pot' we don't have enough to eat and why we can survie that??
I think greedy is the problem!
Cambodian authority had warns them about the danger, but they still crossing into thai village and work for those thai employers...
AYE 7:34 YOU IDIOT....CAN YOU READ......THEY DIDNT CROSS INTO THAI BORDER YOU IDIOT, UNLESS YOUR ARE ONE OF THOSE FUCKING THAI FAGS THAT SAY THEY WERE. THEY ARE ON KHMER LAND OUR LAND YOU ...THESE FUCKING DUMB THAI PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE MAKING TROUBLE,
ITS NOT BEACAUSE OUR KHMER PEOPLE ARE GREEDY, THE DUMB FUCKING THAIS, THERE GREEDY EVERYTHING IS THERES I WANT THIS, I WANT THAT....THEY EVEN WANT MY FUCKING SHIT AFTER I TAKE A SHIT....HOW HEAVY IS THAT
FUCK THAILAND
7:43 you should know damn well that our khmer people didnt cross into there shit, they just wanna hurt our people.
fuck thailand
The Cambodian government should sue the Thai border authority of illegal entry and kidnapping of Khmer citizen.
I don't condone Thai for their action. However, if we hate them that much why some khmers look at Thailand as better place to do their begging business. Where is khmer pride? Cambodian government should educate their citizen about pride by not opting begging as their business as begging will scare off tourists and investors as well.
I wonder how come our border police and authority don't protect or do anything? it was thai soldier intention to kills khmer people, they really don't have to fire at unarms people...
human rights group, please watch them carefully as siem are known to abuse helpless cambodian people!
Thailand always makes so noise about Khmer people. Even Khmer legal worker got all the paper work right, Thailand still refused them to enter in Thailand. Remember Khmer tourist traveled on cruise, Thailand blocked them and sent them back to the cruise boat. Thailand never respected the ASEAN policy.
i know, and they keep saying bilateral, bilateral between cambodia and thailand, and look at how they treated our khmer people. no wonder khmer people hated their guts! the last i read, it supposed to be visa free between cambodia and thailand. i think if that's the case, as long everyone is doing everything lawfully, thailand should treat khmer people fairly. otherwise, what goes around comes around eventually! watch! thailand has a lot of karma for what they did to cambodia and khmer people. may god punish them severely, sooner or later!
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