December 3, 2009
The Nation
Detainee's mother met at airport by Sok An, the Cambodian deputy premier, thanks to Noppadon's connections in Phnom Penh
Mother of the detained Thai engineer received a warm welcome in Phnom Penh yesterday, with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An waiting for her at the airport.
This second visit, facilitated by opposition Pheu Thai Party, allowed Simarak na Nakhon Phanom to spend two hours with her son Sivarak Chutipong at the Prey Sor prison on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital. She was also allowed to give him basic necessities and food.
Sivarak was arrested on November 12 over charges of spying on ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, stealing his flight schedule and passing it on to a Thai diplomat who was later expelled from Cambodia.
Speaking via telephone from Phnom Penh, Simarak said she wanted to thank Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for allowing her to visit her son, as well as Sok An for meeting her at the airport and escorting her to the prison. She said the visit had been made very easy and had come as a surprise to Sivarak.
"My son is healthy," she said.
She also thanked Pheu Thai Party for facilitating her visit - former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama used his connections in Phnom Penh to help.
Simarak previously visited her son last Friday with the assistance of the Thai Foreign Ministry, but later she attacked the ministry for being too slow in getting Sivarak out of prison. She was in Cambodia for 12 hours last Friday for a one-and-a-half hour meeting with her son. This time though she was allowed to stay overnight in the capital and also go sightseeing before she takes a flight back today.
When asked about her relying on the opposition party, Simarak said she did not care that it had caused a political conflict because she was willing to do anything to save her son. "I have no hidden agenda, no politics, but will use every channel I can to see my son," she said.
Sivarak's arrest is believed to be part of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, because he was arrested in connection with Thaksin, who was appointed by Hun Sen as an economic adviser.
Angered by Thaksin's appointment, Thailand downgraded diplomatic relations with Cambodia and reviewed many cooperation projects. The government has also blamed Thaksin for manipulating conflicts between the two countries.
Noppadon, meanwhile, said the government's moves against Cambodia could end up costing a lot, adding that Thaksin should not be blamed for the slump in foreign relations because he had suggested several times that Thailand reconcile with Cambodia.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya should also make clear whether the government wants to revoke the maritime deal with Cambodia, he said.
The Cabinet decided to terminate the 2001 memorandum of understanding on overlapping claims on the continental shelf but it needs to be approved by Parliament before Phnom Penh is notified.
"Just threatening to withdraw from the maritime deal is not appropriate. Instead, the government should make a clear decision and inform Phnom Penh in writing soon," Noppadon said.
Mother of the detained Thai engineer received a warm welcome in Phnom Penh yesterday, with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An waiting for her at the airport.
This second visit, facilitated by opposition Pheu Thai Party, allowed Simarak na Nakhon Phanom to spend two hours with her son Sivarak Chutipong at the Prey Sor prison on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital. She was also allowed to give him basic necessities and food.
Sivarak was arrested on November 12 over charges of spying on ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, stealing his flight schedule and passing it on to a Thai diplomat who was later expelled from Cambodia.
Speaking via telephone from Phnom Penh, Simarak said she wanted to thank Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for allowing her to visit her son, as well as Sok An for meeting her at the airport and escorting her to the prison. She said the visit had been made very easy and had come as a surprise to Sivarak.
"My son is healthy," she said.
She also thanked Pheu Thai Party for facilitating her visit - former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama used his connections in Phnom Penh to help.
Simarak previously visited her son last Friday with the assistance of the Thai Foreign Ministry, but later she attacked the ministry for being too slow in getting Sivarak out of prison. She was in Cambodia for 12 hours last Friday for a one-and-a-half hour meeting with her son. This time though she was allowed to stay overnight in the capital and also go sightseeing before she takes a flight back today.
When asked about her relying on the opposition party, Simarak said she did not care that it had caused a political conflict because she was willing to do anything to save her son. "I have no hidden agenda, no politics, but will use every channel I can to see my son," she said.
Sivarak's arrest is believed to be part of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, because he was arrested in connection with Thaksin, who was appointed by Hun Sen as an economic adviser.
Angered by Thaksin's appointment, Thailand downgraded diplomatic relations with Cambodia and reviewed many cooperation projects. The government has also blamed Thaksin for manipulating conflicts between the two countries.
Noppadon, meanwhile, said the government's moves against Cambodia could end up costing a lot, adding that Thaksin should not be blamed for the slump in foreign relations because he had suggested several times that Thailand reconcile with Cambodia.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya should also make clear whether the government wants to revoke the maritime deal with Cambodia, he said.
The Cabinet decided to terminate the 2001 memorandum of understanding on overlapping claims on the continental shelf but it needs to be approved by Parliament before Phnom Penh is notified.
"Just threatening to withdraw from the maritime deal is not appropriate. Instead, the government should make a clear decision and inform Phnom Penh in writing soon," Noppadon said.
8 comments:
To Thai or the Thai Government:
We Khmer are not your schoolboy.
Please stop look down on us Khmer and don't treat us like a kid.
No body looked down to Khmer people, but yourself looks down your own Khmers.
Ha Ha
Situation becomes out of Hun Sen control
He has too many competitors
In the CPP, Sok An, Hor Nam Hong..
Out of the party..
Who belives that those peoples don't think about to replace Hun Sen
Hun Sen knows that, that is time, country needs leader who knows economy more than chess player
Ah stupid Viet Cong Sok Anh! Siem killed so many khmers for centuries. Khmer ploeu like you and your CPP look up at siem as your superior. Ah Phloeu and krom ah kwak. Ah stupid. Khmers will not forget ah kwak regime.
All khmers, please hang on to your sword, knife, stick or whatever you can use to kill these animals, hun xen, xok anh. Ah khak and ah phloeu, your time is short.
What is the stupid Khmer like Sok An to receive the criminal Thai mom at the airport? It sounds stupid act for CPP. May be the mom is sexy that Sok An wants to touch down with her.
Cambodia Town
Long Beach, Ca
According to DAP New, There is no red carpet for suspect's mother at airport By H.E Deputy Sok An.
New Phally
Why would Sok An who is deputy Prime Minister involved in welcoming the jailed Thai suspect's mother at the airport? Unless Hun Sen government want to politicize the Khmer-Thai crisis for Thaksin and Hun Sen's interest.
9:17 PM,
Sok An is not Vietnamese , He is a Sino-Khmer, but Hor Nam Hong is Khmer is Vietnamese origin.
9:44AM.
Don't try to figure out why or what's wrong with the politics. They are friends in a minute then they are enemy in a second, they shake hands, then they kill each others as long as things can benefit them. Just look at the US. The US protect Vitman from China's invasion. Why? It is SEA region that the US want, and China also does too.
What Sok An is doing is what he is ordered from above to deal with Thais. She asked helps from Thaksin's groups, that's how it is.
Also it is a way to show Thais that Khmers are not barbarians as Thais are taught to look down on Khmers. It shows that Khmers are civilized people.
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