Sunday, January 16, 2011

[Thai] Govt sends back 199 Cambodians

TRUCKED OUT: Cambodian immigrants wait for repatriation back to their homeland at the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok yesterday.
ABHISIT DENIES APPEASING PHNOM PENH

16/01/2011
Anucha Charoenpo
Bangkok Post & Thai News Agency

The government has sent 199 Cambodians facing illegal entry charges back home without further court procedures, but denies it is trying to send a message to Phnom Penh in its row over the seven Thai detainees.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva also put on hold a planned visit to Phnom Penh by Democrat Party members amid concerns that the trip could be viewed negatively by Cambodia.

The 199 Cambodians - 120 men, 61 women, and 18 children - were arrested by immigration police in Bangkok after illegally entering Thailand to work in the capital.

They were sent back yesterday through the border checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district in Sa Kaeo, opposite Poipet town in Banteay Meanchey province of Cambodia.


Aranyaprathet immigration police chief Pol Col Manad Sriwongsa said none have been prosecuted under a repatriation agreement between the countries.

Another two Cambodians charged with illegal entry were freed and sent home on Thursday, the same day that two of the seven Thai detainees _ Democrat MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth and Narumol Chitvarattana _ were granted bail by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

Although the timing of the dispatch of the 199 Cambodians coincides with government efforts to help the seven Thais, Mr Abhisit yesterday denied that it was part of a campaign to appease its neighbour.

Some observers say the gesture could also be perceived as the government telling Cambodia that since it is prepared to send home Cambodians without court proceedings, Cambodia should do the same for the detained Thais.

Cambodia says it arrested the seven Thais on Dec 29 after they trespassed into the country.

Meanwhile, a group of Democrats yesterday cancelled plans to visit Mr Panich and the other Thais in Phnom Penh after Mr Abhisit said he opposed the idea.

In Phnom Penh, Pich Vicheka, one of two lawyers working for the Thai seven, said he hoped the court would decide whether to temporarily release the remaining five Thais still in detention at Prey Sar prison on bail on Tuesday. He put a second appeal for bail to the court last Friday after an earlier request was denied.

The five Thais are Veera Somkwamkid, a coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network; his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon; Samdin Lertbutr and Tainae Mungmajon of the Santi Asoke sect; and Kitchaponthorn Chusanasevi, Mr Panich's aide.

Mr Veera has asked for a Thai legal team led by ex-Buri Ram senator Karoon Sai-ngarm to help him and other Thais fight the charges against them.

But Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdee said Mr Karoon and his legal team must first seek approval from the Bar Association of Cambodia to represent them.

The Thai legal team is expected to meet the detainees at Prey Sar prison early this week. Relatives of the five detainees, including Khwan, who is Mr Veera's relative, will travel to Phnom Penh this week.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Please KI post my article. Thank you
Gov't did the right things, they used to send all Gov't officials back to school, but now they raplaced them, becouse it been using same energy and same effort to patch all leacking boat. Now Gov't are much smarter they put new boat, it least headach, and more productive for the long run, loser is stile a loser. Any one who ignited people power whild Thai organizing new war room, it not good result for you, stope greedy political embitouse, use democratice ways by fair ellection. If Khmer allready united stay with that, unless Hun sen he gon wild like Plo pot. If all of us are truely love Khmer we must responsible the outcome of our action, to creat Chaos in our country it is not a good ideas, we all see alot of deverlopment and better futur now, please let Khmer stable long enought and strong enought to dealt wth youn or Saim in another time, the time most dangeriouse that youn or Siam could swalow Khmer is not now, it Betweent 1960 to 1998 that time Khmer are sooooo weaks, now we are very much ok, so please don't traped into another enermy military stratergy, enermy creat supperio opportunity for victoy by weakening our Khmer. Mike

Anonymous said...

I do agree with you. But there should be more constructive push for this gov't to be more democratic. At least, by the time Hun Sen is gone.

Michael.

Anonymous said...

*Khmer euy chrop Troung dauch satt sva kour oyy ani char khmer cheath ka ghom nass.
KHMER 1970

Anonymous said...

Ending-less miserableness for my Cambodian-khom-khmers people.
Please stay focus my people!and Buddha bless!
khmersott

Anonymous said...

Khmerizatio if you opst my comment please add more as below:
in 1998 the result of people power, cost indonesia to lost East-timore, In soviet Union they lost, poland, Ajarbiajan, Hongary, yougoslavy, and east german. In china they lost Manchury to Japan, and lost the whole china to Enggland, In Cambodia, people power, provoke demostration every months from 1960s we lose to Pot pot. What do we want any of thise, who is your strongest leader that may drive youn out, or Saim?
Regards from Mike

Anonymous said...

Oh ah Mike Hun Sen ass kisser,we are khmer we are not divide,but we are just precaution before khmers Cambodia become khmers krom and lose khmers identities that why we come out from shadow and every where to save khmer land you understand.
Oy headeache with pook ah sroveung teuk moit=khieo kana Lith.

Anonymous said...

A message to the Cambodian govt: Please set up a program to help these people who returned from Thailand through providing training, looking for jobs for them etc

Anonymous said...

Mike, you're everywhere, why? Only Khmer will drive Youn out of Cambodia and kick Siam ass at the same time. Like or not, Khmer will rise to the occasion, slowly but surely. It's been a long time coming but Khmer is coming up. This is why there an increase in Siem and Youn activity in pushing and kicking Khmer down. They know when Khmer rise, they will fall. Khmer should no longer bow down to these animals.