December 15, 2009
The Nation
Just a few days ago, Sivarak Chutipong was a billed by Cambodian authorities as a spy for the Thai government and a threat to national security. He was charged and convicted for supplying the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh with Thaksin Shinawatra's flight schedule - a crime that is punishable by death in many countries.
However, all Sivarak was doing was just seeking the itinerary of Thaksin, a man who prides himself as a figure whose advice is often sought by countries like Cambodia, and a handful of African and Central American nations.
Cambodia never did say what it expected Sivarak to do with the information other then handing it to the Thai Embassy official, who was later expelled from the country. If indeed there had been a conspiracy to use that information for some wrongdoing then Cambodia needs to come clean. Yet, even though there were never any ill intentions, Phnom Penh maintains that this constituted a threat to national security, and thus the criminal charges.
So when Cambodian PM Hun Sen started treating Sivarak as if he had just won an Olympic gold medal for his country, a lot of eyebrows were raised.
"Sivarak has the freedom to do what he wants," Hun Sen announced at a ceremony that was attended by Sivarak's mother and the opposition Pheu Thai Party, which has had the audacity to cash in on this event. Perhaps all this red-carpet treatment was Hun Sen's way of saying, "no hard feelings, mate … this is just politics".
On the other hand it appears as if the Thai engineer is just happy to be free.
All those horror stories from Cambodian prisons would drive anybody crazy, even if one were just an innocent pawn in this political hypocrisy. And if freedom requires Sivarak to roll with the punches, so be it.
But no matter how one looked at this case, one couldn't dismiss the irony and the sheer hypocrisy.
First, Sivarak was accused of being part of a plan to hunt down Thaksin, yet on Sunday the fugitive former PM went to visit the prisoner. Interestingly, Thaksin and his associates chose to stay out of the glare of media cameras, though that does not mean they didn't milk the situation.
Representatives of the Pheu Thai Party were at the scene all the time. It was as if Sivarak and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Promphong Nopparit were Siamese twins.
Nevertheless, the statement was clear - it was Thaksin who obtained this man's freedom and everyone should be grateful, including the government.
A Cambodian special treatment
However, all Sivarak was doing was just seeking the itinerary of Thaksin, a man who prides himself as a figure whose advice is often sought by countries like Cambodia, and a handful of African and Central American nations.
Cambodia never did say what it expected Sivarak to do with the information other then handing it to the Thai Embassy official, who was later expelled from the country. If indeed there had been a conspiracy to use that information for some wrongdoing then Cambodia needs to come clean. Yet, even though there were never any ill intentions, Phnom Penh maintains that this constituted a threat to national security, and thus the criminal charges.
So when Cambodian PM Hun Sen started treating Sivarak as if he had just won an Olympic gold medal for his country, a lot of eyebrows were raised.
"Sivarak has the freedom to do what he wants," Hun Sen announced at a ceremony that was attended by Sivarak's mother and the opposition Pheu Thai Party, which has had the audacity to cash in on this event. Perhaps all this red-carpet treatment was Hun Sen's way of saying, "no hard feelings, mate … this is just politics".
On the other hand it appears as if the Thai engineer is just happy to be free.
All those horror stories from Cambodian prisons would drive anybody crazy, even if one were just an innocent pawn in this political hypocrisy. And if freedom requires Sivarak to roll with the punches, so be it.
But no matter how one looked at this case, one couldn't dismiss the irony and the sheer hypocrisy.
First, Sivarak was accused of being part of a plan to hunt down Thaksin, yet on Sunday the fugitive former PM went to visit the prisoner. Interestingly, Thaksin and his associates chose to stay out of the glare of media cameras, though that does not mean they didn't milk the situation.
Representatives of the Pheu Thai Party were at the scene all the time. It was as if Sivarak and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Promphong Nopparit were Siamese twins.
Nevertheless, the statement was clear - it was Thaksin who obtained this man's freedom and everyone should be grateful, including the government.
A Cambodian special treatment
- Arrested two days after "stealing" flight information
- Allowed to meet Thai envoy five days after arrest
- After five days, allowed to speak on phone with mother
- Allowed to meet mother two weeks after arrest
- Thai opposition party allowed to become involved
- Mother permitted second visit five days after the first
- Lawyer could be changed easily
- Shortened trial process in the court
- Quick conviction within one day
- Quick decision for royal pardon
- VIP visit to prison by former Thai prime minister
- VIP greeting with Cambodian PM upon release
- No deportation
- Special offer to continue working in Cambodia
4 comments:
This is a joke. what is the next joke??
The worst thing is courst system of Cambodia under order of Mr. Hun Sen. Catch and release. Soon the court is useless. Cambodia is a strange country. Any stupid thing can happen under Huen Sen. In many countries, if you are accused of spying, you will be prison for life or death penalty. But here after found guilty, you are released, VIP greeted by Prime Minister. I can't understand Khmer people let Hun Sen do any stupid thing in the world and no body say anthing and even worst appreciate him for doing this. Are all Khmer people stupid all now? Why let this man do anything?
Do you have ever heard the former spy allow to get his job back in the same post like in Cambodia? In fact. he is not spy at all but he victim of political game and as a key for this issue. I am sure, he know exactly what he must to do in his job as ATC engineer, but the law in Cambodia can paint someone from black to white (for CPP) and from white to black. I tell you all, if he is really spy he will never get this Job gain. He is not gultig at all but victim of political game. If Thailand has best agents like Israely, Taksin has no chance run away on the air space.
Khmer Ghost
Khmer ATC- Engineer abroad
Hun Sen will allow his daughter to marry the Spy also..
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