12/01/2011
Thanida Tansubhapol, Pradit Ruangdit & Anucha Charoenpo
Bangkok Post
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court will question two Thai nationals facing espionage charges today, a move which dashes hopes of an early bail release for the other five Thais being detained on trespassing charges.
Cambodian prosecutors have filed additional charges against Veera Somkwamkid, a coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, a splinter group of the yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, for "attempting to collect information which is deemed detrimental to Cambodia's national defence".
The two could face between five and 10 years in jail if found guilty.
The Cambodian court scheduled a session to question the two Thais today, said Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the Foreign Minister.
"The additional charges will make the Thai government's efforts to help them, especially [regarding] bail requests, more difficult," the secretary said.
Requesting a royal pardon is one avenue for them to take but it must be discussed with legal officials first, Mr Chavanond said.
A ministry source said it is unlikely that all of them would be granted bail but this would be subject to the court's deliberation.
Mr Veera and Ms Ratree are among the group of seven Thais, which included Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth, arrested by Cambodian soldiers when they entered a disputed area near Nong Jan village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district next to Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province on Dec 29 last year.
The Cambodian court earlier charged them with illegal entry and trespassing on a military area which could lead to a maximum of 18 months in jail.
Meanwhile, about 30 members of the Thai Patriots Network staged a protest at the Foreign Ministry to call on the Thai government not to accept Cambodia's judicial process and asked Mr Kasit and Mr Chavanond to resign.
Acting Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn yesterday confirmed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's remark that Thai government authorities had phoned him repeatedly to seek help for the seven Thais.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government was trying to help the seven Thais, protect relations for the co-existence of the Thai and Cambodian people and protect national sovereignty.
Mr Abhisit also said that the Foreign Ministry would be solely responsible for media communications on the case.
According to a source in the cabinet, Mr Kasit told the cabinet meeting yesterday that the seven Thai detainees had poor living conditions in the old Prey Sar prison.
He also said there are land ownership documents dating from over three decades ago showing that Cambodian soldiers had arrested them in Thai territory.
The Foreign Ministry has sent Asda Jayanama, the Thai head of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission, to inspect the area.
The Foreign Ministry also reported to the cabinet that Cambodia has demanded several conditions for their release, including the freeing of three Cambodian prisoners.
Thai immigration police earlier released over 60 Cambodians who were earlier arrested for illegal immigration in a bid to help the situation.
The cabinet yesterday also acknowledged a request from the Defence Ministry for 517 million baht to prepare for possible "situations" near the Preah Vihear temple.
In a related development, the National Press Council has agreed to set up a fact-finding committee to investigate border conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia as quickly as possible.
1 comment:
While Cambodia is losing large chunks of land in her eastern borders with Vietnam...the Thais are jumping on the band wagon to do the same on the western side.
Cambodia has finite boundaries with all her neighbors with internationally recognized maps deposited with the UN...it is simply absurd that Thais think they can get more of Khmer land through new lame "boundary disputes"!
Where were you Siemese 800 years ago??? Isn't it in Nanchao (present-day Yunnan, China)???
Post a Comment