DPA
Phnom Penh - A Cambodian court granted bail to parliamentarian Panich Vikitsreth of Thailand's ruling Democrat Party as well as a second Thai citizen charged with illegally crossing into Cambodian territory, a government official said Thursday.
The two were among a group of seven arrested in December in the case. They told the Phnom Penh municipal court last week that they had crossed the border accidentally.
Heng Hak, director of the general department of prisons at the Ministry of Interior, said the two were released Thursday from Phnom Penh's Prey Sar jail.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said Panich and Narumol Jitrawarattana had been released on bail of 250 dollars each.
'My understanding is that they are not allowed to leave Cambodia,' Thani said, 'and when summonsed, they would have to be brought to court.'
He said bail applications for the remaining five imprisoned Thais were being considered 'on an individual basis.'
'We are hopeful that the others will get bail in due course,' Thani said. 'We are hopeful that a decision would be made by Friday.'
On Wednesday, the court finished its investigation into spying charges against two of those arrested, one of them a prominent political figure.
Veera Somkwamkit, a former leader of the nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy movement, also known as the yellow shirts, was questioned along with his secretary Ratree Taiputana.
Koy Kuong, spokesman for Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, said Wednesday that the case remained under the authority of the courts and maintained that it would not affect the neighbours' bilateral relations.
'Our stance is to separate the case from bilateral relations,' he said.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said this week that since the seven were in the judicial system, the case was beyond the influence of anyone else.
Hun Sen added that if the seven were convicted of illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base, charges that carry a maximum term of 18 months, they would need to serve two-thirds of their sentences before becoming eligible for pardons.
However, if Veera and Ratree are convicted of the more serious charge of spying, they could face a further five to 10 years in jail.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been tense for more than two years with sporadic clashes between troops over disputed territory surrounding the 11th-century Hindu temple of Preah Vihear on Cambodia's northern border.
9 comments:
the thai courts don't have to grant bail to any cambodians. the thai soldiers just kill them (cambodians) at the border. problem solved.
bravo, samdach hun sen-- your win-win policy is very effective.
Remember a lot khmer are crossing to thailand everyday. this earth belong to everyone
It means the 2 are not free. Stay inside or outside the the prison is not different, because they are not allowing to leave Cambodia.
1:27 PM
not without a visa or a passport my dear
1:27 PM
not without a visa or a passport my dear
Well done Xen, what did the Thai prime minister say to you??
ឧិអាសែនអីក៏ថោកម្លេះចំពោះខ្មែរក្រាន់តែព្រីនឯកសាពី KI ចែកគ្នាមើលហែងចាប់ដាក់គុកដល់អាចោរសៀមចូលដីខ្មែរខុសច្បាប់ហែងដោះលែងអោយនៅក្រៅឃុំនេះបានចំជាអាខ្វាក់ខ្នាយដែកមានចាក់បានតែគ្នាឯងតែសាសន៏ដ៏ទៃដាក់កន្ទុយក្រោមពោះដូចឆ្កែអញ្ចឹង
That $250 for my one-night suite.
From Mike,
I respect all the comments above, and I personaly are very fine with Mr. Sam rainsy. here is my main concernt, Leader duty is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the way to survival or extinction, it must be thoroughly pondered and analiyzed.Leader must organized and disciplined, cause the people to be fully in accod with hime people they will die with him, they will live with him and not fear danger, that what it take for nation to survive. I am very much like you are,I always willing to share the common national interest, I do not like Youn, and Siam, I love Khmer, that why any one who preached and ignited the ideosensory of jealousy, criticism, and hatreat led to divide among Kmher its Hurt me badly. If we go to the past, the main reason that caused Khmer Empire fallent it is divission led to weakness Khmer national strength. YOUn, Siam, are the witch ghost who tooke advantage from our weakness start attack us left and right to swalow our land. please focus on one cultur(rebuild, our strong Khmer) by constructive chaleng, not any, any any form of Criticism. Criticsim is a giant ghost will suck blood from the men who call for it, men who preached it, and will ruin our nation. wasn't it?
You and me and all human are 30% right and 70 wrongs, in anythings we does. please focus on that 30 % not on that 70 %. What was Mr. Sam rainsy supperio, Hun sen supperior, or KI,Khmerization, or any Kmher achieved something talk about that agian, agian, and agian, that how people learn. Regards, Mike
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