Siwarak Chothipong (centre), 31, an employee at the Cambodia Air Traffic Service, is escorted by Cambodian police at the Phnom Penh municipal court on December 8, 2009. [AFP]Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Karen Percy, South East Asia correspondent
ABC Radio Australia
A Thai national charged with spying on a visit by fugitive former Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra is on trial in Cambodia.
Siwarak Chothipong has plead not guilty to the charges of breaching national security and public safety in Cambodia.
The 31 year old was employed at the Thai-owned air traffic services company at Phnom Penh airport when Thaksin Shinawatra travelled to the city a month ago to take up a role as economic advisor.
Mr Siwarak is accused of passing on Mr Thaksin's flight plan to Thai officials, who have been seeking the former leader's extradition.
The local media says Mr Siwarak admits that he was contacted by a Thai diplomat and he did enquire about Mr Thaksin's travel plans.
But he says he did not pass on the information.
The Thai-run air services company has since been taken over by the Cambodian government, as part of a series of tit for tat moves between the two countries.
Cambodia also expelled the first secretary of Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh after alleging Siwarak passed information to the diplomat.
Thailand retaliated hours later.
Earlier this year, both countries also withdrew their respective ambassadors in the dispute over Thaksin's appointment.
Mr Thaksin is on the run from a corruption conviction in Thailand.
Siwarak Chothipong has plead not guilty to the charges of breaching national security and public safety in Cambodia.
The 31 year old was employed at the Thai-owned air traffic services company at Phnom Penh airport when Thaksin Shinawatra travelled to the city a month ago to take up a role as economic advisor.
Mr Siwarak is accused of passing on Mr Thaksin's flight plan to Thai officials, who have been seeking the former leader's extradition.
The local media says Mr Siwarak admits that he was contacted by a Thai diplomat and he did enquire about Mr Thaksin's travel plans.
But he says he did not pass on the information.
The Thai-run air services company has since been taken over by the Cambodian government, as part of a series of tit for tat moves between the two countries.
Cambodia also expelled the first secretary of Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh after alleging Siwarak passed information to the diplomat.
Thailand retaliated hours later.
Earlier this year, both countries also withdrew their respective ambassadors in the dispute over Thaksin's appointment.
Mr Thaksin is on the run from a corruption conviction in Thailand.
3 comments:
The suspect is expected to be freed this afternoon.
ICPP
I hope cambodian police gave him the same foods as other, nothing specail for this moron...! No Thai Curry served in Prey Sar Prisons..!
correction = No special Foods served for this moron...
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