ABC Radio Australia
The Thai Patriots Network is rallying support for seven Thai citizens arrested by Cambodian authorities for allegedly crossing the border illegally.
Those arrested include a member of the governing Democrat Party and, perhaps most controversially, a member of the Joint Boundary Commission that is leading sensitive negotiations over another border dispute, near Preah Vihear temple. However, the Thai nationalist group say Cambodian troops entered Thai territory to make the arrest, and they accuse Cambodia of land encroachment.
Presenter: Ron Corben
Speakers: Werasak Samrit, Thai Patriot Network leader; Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Thai Patriot Network leader; Mrs Pratanapa, Thai Patriot Network member
CORBEN: The convoy by the pro-nationalist group 'The Network of Thai People to Protect our Nation' [or Thai Patriots Network] were preparing to leave to stage a protest rally 245 kilometres away in Sa Kaew province bordering Cambodia.
The rally and protest comes as Cambodia is to put on trial seven Thais it says were arrested inside Cambodia on December 29. Those detained, led by a Democrat Party parliamentarian, Panich Vikitsreth, from a committee overseeing Thai-Cambodian border issues say they were investigating claims of Cambodian land encroachment and were on Thai territory when held by Cambodian troops.
Monday's rally called for the seven to be released immediately. The group also referred to Cambodia by its traditional name of Kampuchea.
Werasak Samrit is a businessman and a co-leader of the group.
WERASAK: Cambodia captured our Thai people in our Thai territory, but Kampuchea say our Thai people have entered her territory but actually it's Thai territory. But the government neglect, ignore this problem, just say that our Thai people have entered into Cambodian area. That's not true but actually it's in Thai [territory] because we have many evidence or report, we have many evidence that we have report to our Thai public, but the main media don't present to the people.
CORBEN: Are you saying the media is not telling the full story?
WERASAK: That's a big problem, our media and the government has to hide all the facts to all people Thai people. Since the day of [December] 29 the government not take any action.
CORBEN: A diplomatic flurry that included a personal appeal by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen failed to see the group's early release. Hun Sen insists legal action will be taken. Cambodia's Defence Minister, Tea Banh, said the seven trespassed into Cambodia. But with a roughly drawn map before me on Monday, the Thai patriots disputed these claims.
Chaiwat Sinsuwong is the group's leader. Mr Chaiwat and Mr Werasak say the Thais were detained more than a kilometre from a Thai-Cambodian border marker Number 46.
CHAIWAT: The post defined this Kampuchea area is a Thai area, we call it 46 post (Reporter: 46 post, yeah.) OK. (Wearasak: Start from here.) This is a Thai road Thanon Saipen, in the Thai area. Kampuchea military capture our people here.
CORBEN: The Cambodian military were in Thai territory?
WERASAK: Yeah, the place they were captured; but the... Kampuchea [authorities] have reported that all the seven people have been captured in Khmer.
CHAIWAT: It's about one kilometre - one kilometre. So Kampuchea military interview in Thai area, one kilometre.
CORBEN: Mrs Pratanapa, a member of the patriot group charged the Cambodian military of kidnapping the Thais.
PRATANAPA: They kidnap our people, seven people and also one is a representative of the parliament of the government... Cambodian's leader want to take territory [of Thailand]. So they always send the people to install, to make a house, to make a Cambodian community in our place.
CORBEN: Thai troops say they will block any protest near the border while the Thai Foreign Ministry has called on the group to avoid actions that would undermine delicate talks seeking to have the seven released from Cambodia.
For Connect Asia this is Ron Corben in Bangkok.
4 comments:
These stupid Thai protesters still being stupid! How the hell Cambodian military gone into Thai soil to arrest those 7 Thais???
Are they really stupid!!!!!!!!!
Thai Political Gambling
Youn very happy when thailand have problem with Cambodia.They have more chance to control and more chance to open the gate wider (more frontier gate was open)to let their peoples and goods run freely into Cambodia.
In Thailand ,election will be coming soon .To earn the , popularity,The 7 thai fake petroit have to intrude in Cambodia,They knew that ,Khmer army never kill them like they did to our poor inocent cambodian people.May be they can spend a few night in Cambodian jail with good food and well look after.What is a wasted money to look after them.
I would ask every khmer in the world to make noice when when our poor inocent was kill by the neigbour or other place.Stop value khmer life was so cheap as in the past from now on.Stop them to use khmer life for their game.
In the past our encestor use to be famous.We must follow them.
Khmer
Should burn 3 coffins with a picture of Mr Abhisit, Panich Vikitsreth and PAD co-leader Veera Somkwamkid on each coffin.
Should burn 3 coffins with a picture of Mr Abhisit, Panich Vikitsreth and PAD co-leader Veera Somkwamkid on each coffin.
Thai people and Thai govt have known that
Cambodia was under
Vietnam govt since
1979.Vietnam toppled
Hun Sen to be in charge as its province ever since.
The next election
Hun Sen will win
again because Hun Sen was opening three more gates to
let Vietnam citizens
flow freely to vote for CPP senators and low members.
Did Abhasit political game to help Hun Sen to gain power to make
business With Khmer govt? Thai need not to lose what Thai
invested in Cambodia.No problems
with Preah Vihear
dispute and no seven
Thais intruders that what both countries leaders
said this week.
I did agree with 12:27PM.
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