Fugitive red shirt 'is not in Cambodia'[: Tea Banh]

DEFENCE MINISTER SPEAKS OUT

31/10/2010
By Wassana Nanuam
Bangkok Post

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh yesterday denied that red shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong was in hiding in his country.

The remark came in the wake of a report from Thai authorities that Mr Arisman entered Cambodia with a fake exit stamp from Thai immigration.

Mr Arisman is wanted on charges of terrorism in connection with political violence during the red shirt protests.

When asked if Mr Arisman was in Cambodia, Gen Tea Banh said he did not know.

When asked if Cambodia would extradite Mr Arisman if he was hiding there, he said:

"That I said 'I didn't know' means he's not in Cambodia. If he is, we would have known about it."

He also said the matter had already been discussed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen at the Asean summit in Hanoi.

When asked about a report by Thai authorities that a group of red shirt supporters underwent weapons training in Cambodia, he said he was not comfortable discussing the issue.

He said certain issues were delicate and too sensitive to address.

Gen Tea Banh, who was attending the 7th meeting of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) in Pattaya, also said there was no reason for fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to travel to Cambodia in any official capacity after he resigned as an economic adviser to Hun Sen.

"He has quit and he has no reason to be in Cambodia," Gen Tea Banh said.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said yesterday that Thailand and Cambodia had reached no agreement to reduce or withdraw troops around Preah Vihear temple.

He said a redeployment of troops is likely in the future depending on the border situation which has been calm over the past months.

He said the priority of the troop redeployment would be to increase the safety of people along the common border.

A source close to the GBC said yesterday that Cambodia had rejected Thailand's proposal to pull out some of the troops.

Thailand and Cambodia have deployed about 3,000 soldiers each in the area. Bilateral ties have been difficult since June 2008 amid a continuing border conflict over land surrounding the temple.

According to the source, under the redeployment plan, joint guidelines will be drawn up to minimise confrontation.

Several pacts have been signed at the GBC meeting to boost bilateral co-operation on various issues including combating crime, bolstering trade and improving public health.