Thai Foreign Ministry: No additional spying charges against 7 Thais

BANGKOK, Jan 6 (MCOT online news) – Thailand’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday said no charge of espionage has been filed against the seven Thais detained in Cambodia for allegedly illegally trespassing into the neighbouring country, despite reports that the Cambodian authorities have evidence to charge one of the detainees for spying to gather military information.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi reported so far that the hearings for the first four Thai nationals have been conducted.

Democrat MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth, who was also a former deputy minister of foreign affairs, was the first of the seven who was questioned in court for four hours on Thursday morning.

Mr Thani said the ministry hopes the hearing for the seven will be completed within today. If not, the hearing will continue on Monday as Friday is a public holiday in Phnom Penh.

Following the reports that an additional charge of spying to gather military information will be further filed against activist Veera Somkwamkid, the spokesman reaffirmed that so far the ministry has been officially informed that only two charges filed against the seven Thais.

One was illegal entry into the Cambodian kingdom with punishment of three to six months of imprisonment and deportation, while the second charge involved trespass into a Cambodian military area without permission with three to six months of jail term and Bt7,500-15,000 in fines.

Mr Thani said that the morning hearing was a closed session and that Thai embassy officials in Phnom Penh were barred from observing the process. Only two Cambodian lawyers hired by Thai authorities were allowed to present at the hearing with the seven detainees.

"This moment is very sensitive. The lawyers do not want the Thai foreign ministry and the Thai embassy to give interviews to the media as this can affect the case and the testimony of the remaining detainees," said the foreign ministry spokesman.

The seven, including Panich and Thai Patriots Network leader Veera Somkwamkid, were taken from Prey Sor Prison in Phnom Penh to the court early this morning amid an army of local and international media.

The Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec 29 near Nong Jan village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.

Mr Veera was arrested for trespassing into Cambodian territory in August last year but Thai border patrol police in Sa Kaeo convinced the local Cambodian authorities to release him at that time.

The Cambodian lawyers have met with the seven defendants but details of their discussions cannot be disclosed, according to Mr Thani.

When asked whether the arrest of seven Thais will affect the demarcation activities of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC), Mr Thani stated that both countries agreed earlier that this issue will not be mixed up with the talks.

The fourth meeting of the JBC will still be held in Phnom Penh. The arrest of the seven Thais occurred as they visited the dispute area, Mr Thani said, where they did not know exactly which the land belonged to which country. He asserted that this will not affect the upcoming border talks.

Meanwhile, key leader of Thailand Patriot Network Chaiwat Sinsuwong on Thursday submitted a complaint letter to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen via the Cambodian ambassador to Bangkok, opposing the legal action against the seven Thais.

The network stated that the Cambodian move to proceed with legal action against the seven was considered in violation of the Geneva Convention.

Mr Chaiwat added the group will also hand in the complaint letter over the case to the International Red Cross tomorrow.