By Supalak Ganjanakhundee,
Veena Chanreung
The Nation, Kom Chad Luek
The Thai-Cambodian diplomatic row grew more complicated yesterday when Phnom Penh Defence Minister Tea Banh strongly criticised a Thai red-shirt leader for "making up" a story about a secret tape involving the Thai foreign minister. Tea Banh and Cambodia's Foreign Ministry yesterday rejected the claim by Jatuporn Promphan that Cambodian officials had taped a phone conversation between Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and a diplomat in Phnom Penh over former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's flight plan.
"I think the one who made claims about the tape just did it for kicks [or] probably had a hidden agenda of drumming things up to the point of war between the two countries," Tea Banh told Kom Chad Luek in a telephone interview. "This could make Cambodia end up being a scapegoat."
He said the armed forces of both countries had been on good terms and were in constant communication, sharing information.
Cambodia's Foreign Ministry also flatly denied existence of any secret tape.
"The Foreign Ministry of Cambodia is not aware of the interception of a telephone conversation between the Thai minister and the diplomat. We don't do such things," Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong told The Nation in a telephone interview from Phnom Penh.
Jatuporn, an MP with the opposition Pheu Thai Party, claimed Cambodian authorities had recorded a phone conversation when Kasit ordered first secretary at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh Kamrob Palawatwichai to get details of Thaksin's flights.
Kasit challenged Jatuporn yesterday to make the audio recording public to prove the claim. "Is the job of opposition MPs tapping phones or serving Cambodia? If my voice is on a secret tape, I'm dying to hear it."
Jatuporn had dug in before the Cambodian denial. "Cambodia is waiting for a reaction from Thailand. I believe they will play it soon, so let's wait to hear it from there," he said yesterday. "Thai people and the world should know the truth."
Kasit insisted the conflict with Cambodia had erupted when Pheu Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh visited Phnom Penh last month and Cambodian premier Hun Sen later appointed Thaksin as his economic adviser.
However, Jatuporn's claims implied the high point of the conflict - the arrest of Thai engineer Siwarak Chotipong for alleged spying - stemmed from instructions from the Thai Foreign Ministry.
Siwarak, an engineer at Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS) was detained last week for obtaining details of Thaksin's flight plan and allegedly taking it to a Thai diplomat, who was subsequently expelled from Phnom Penh.
Siwarak is being detained in a Phnom Penh prison pending a trial, according to Cambodia's spokesman Koy Kuong, who said the Thai was being treated in accordance with Cambodian legal processes.
His trial will start soon, he said, but declined to give an exact date.
Cambodian authorities have taken temporary control of CATS, a subsidiary of the Thai company Samart Corp, barring Thai staff from doing their jobs.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday ordered the Foreign Ministry to seek ways to protect the Thai business concession.
Kasit said the aviation navigation business operated under Cambodian investment law and could not be nationalised easily.
"I think the one who made claims about the tape just did it for kicks [or] probably had a hidden agenda of drumming things up to the point of war between the two countries," Tea Banh told Kom Chad Luek in a telephone interview. "This could make Cambodia end up being a scapegoat."
He said the armed forces of both countries had been on good terms and were in constant communication, sharing information.
Cambodia's Foreign Ministry also flatly denied existence of any secret tape.
"The Foreign Ministry of Cambodia is not aware of the interception of a telephone conversation between the Thai minister and the diplomat. We don't do such things," Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong told The Nation in a telephone interview from Phnom Penh.
Jatuporn, an MP with the opposition Pheu Thai Party, claimed Cambodian authorities had recorded a phone conversation when Kasit ordered first secretary at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh Kamrob Palawatwichai to get details of Thaksin's flights.
Kasit challenged Jatuporn yesterday to make the audio recording public to prove the claim. "Is the job of opposition MPs tapping phones or serving Cambodia? If my voice is on a secret tape, I'm dying to hear it."
Jatuporn had dug in before the Cambodian denial. "Cambodia is waiting for a reaction from Thailand. I believe they will play it soon, so let's wait to hear it from there," he said yesterday. "Thai people and the world should know the truth."
Kasit insisted the conflict with Cambodia had erupted when Pheu Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh visited Phnom Penh last month and Cambodian premier Hun Sen later appointed Thaksin as his economic adviser.
However, Jatuporn's claims implied the high point of the conflict - the arrest of Thai engineer Siwarak Chotipong for alleged spying - stemmed from instructions from the Thai Foreign Ministry.
Siwarak, an engineer at Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS) was detained last week for obtaining details of Thaksin's flight plan and allegedly taking it to a Thai diplomat, who was subsequently expelled from Phnom Penh.
Siwarak is being detained in a Phnom Penh prison pending a trial, according to Cambodia's spokesman Koy Kuong, who said the Thai was being treated in accordance with Cambodian legal processes.
His trial will start soon, he said, but declined to give an exact date.
Cambodian authorities have taken temporary control of CATS, a subsidiary of the Thai company Samart Corp, barring Thai staff from doing their jobs.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday ordered the Foreign Ministry to seek ways to protect the Thai business concession.
Kasit said the aviation navigation business operated under Cambodian investment law and could not be nationalised easily.
20 comments:
Tea Banh being honest to his country or Thailand..? some people said, Tea Banh is helping Thailand and selling his own country cambodia...is it true?
Tea Banh and his newphew both are very close to Thailand..it's possible that he may help Thailand more than cambodia..? money$$$$$!
Original of Tea Banh is Thai.
Battle field is not a public garden
Remembered the former Battambang governor? is Tea Banh repeated his footstep..?
Even if it is true, it could help to prevent Youn from taking Cambodia easily.
Khmer is playing a dangerous game with our neighbors. We should be neutral and try to protect our territoprial integrity from the ah youn and ah siam. I pity my country and sometime almost feeling hopeless becuase of an incomptetents Khmer leaders that ALWAYS serve the interest of themselves and foreigners than our VERY own people and national interests. It is a sad and we need a major change in leadership.
I'm very please with Hun Sen stance strong for our country at-least, even though, he got help from Vietnamese, i hated Thailand too.., not just vietnam, i think PM Hun Sen knew what's doing for the cambodia...Our country is weak, we need somebody on our side, that's plans!
I'm very please with Hun Sen stance strong for our country at-least, even though, he got help from Vietnamese, i hated Thailand too.., not just vietnam, i think PM Hun Sen knew what's doing for the cambodia...Our country is weak, we do need somebody on our side, that's plans!
the officially are clean and clear but under way hide to do the trick and create the war .
totally did the khmer king to meet ah HO and china before khmer under khmer rouge and killing field .
Nautral and peace but bloody field in coming head.
Sihanouk still called youn Ah Kro Peur!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this Duck Shoot guy must stage a coup now if he's working for the Thais....
I don't trust Tea Banh one bit..!
ah Ronteas Banh does not know jackshit except his wife's hole!
Why Tea Banh slam dunk Red Shirts people? i'm so happy that Red Shirts people supporting us!"cambodia" why Tea Banh oppose? i want Red Shirts and (Yala-in the Southern) people to keep protesting until millionair Chakri family out of bangkok city, and PM Thaksin can come back...!
Middle class red shirts and people of Yala were abused by Chakri dynasty family, Red Shirts and the Southern part "YALA" people are not happy with Abhisit Vejjajiva Gov't, these people felt that they were mistreated!...Neglected! especailly the Southern people...
Thailand will have civil WAR..! Red Shirts team up with the South against Chakri family, cambodia just sit back and relax...smoking cigar...
3:34am no it's not true if he were doing it Khmer wouldn't have all these lands. Look at the map lads look at the map
ah ronteas banh cannot distinquish between red and yello....He, himself think that he is white...so what does he know...besiding banging whores!
Here you see a monkey of Tea Banh. Who else would support Hun Sen, but the red shirts? Do you think, he as Hun Sen's best man would support them? Wrong. That assh*le had just made an ass out of them. Good luck Thaksin!
He needs to be fired!
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