Thaksin laughs as Panich squirms

Thaksin-hunter Panich's political fortunes take dive as he languishes in Cambodian jail - Govt's acceptance of trespass charges could result in Thailand having to cede territory - Battalion commander related to PM Abhisit fights criticism that he isn't up to the job

8/01/2011

Bangkok Post

No one could have predicted such a spectacular reversal of fortune for Panich Vikitsreth, who won a seat in a Bangkok by-election in July last year.

He made his name as the vice-foreign minister whose mission was to go after former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, sentenced in absentia to two years in jail in 2008 for a conflict of interest in a Ratchadaphisek land deal.

Mr Panich's profile was lifted by the mission as anything connected to attempts at seeking Thaksin's extradition was bound to generate noise in politics.

The 48-year-old MP was positioned by the ruling Democrats among its crop of leaders, whose ranks include Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij and former Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin.

However, his career prospects took a nasty turn when he joined the Thai Patriots Network on a tour of the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaeo province on Dec 29.

He and six other people were arrested near Ban Nong Jarn in Khok Sung district by Cambodian soldiers for trespassing on Cambodian territory.

The network insisted the seven had strayed unintentionally, while Phnom Penh insisted they had intended to step over the border without permission.

The seven are facing trial in Phnom Penh and the outcome is hard to predict.

What is certain, however, is that the news about Mr Panich's incarceration, reinforced by the image of the MP dressed in an inmate's outfit, bodes ill for his reputation and that of the Democrats.

Mr Panich made his foray into politics when he accepted an appointment as deputy Bangkok governor, reportedly with the backing of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The men met each other when they attended a young leadership training course organised by Bangkok Bank in 1986.

Mr Panich made his mark in politics when he was named vice-foreign minister in charge of securing Thaksin's extradition. Thaksin and Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen are close allies, which explains the diplomatic difficulties that persist between the two countries.

Bilateral ties have shown signs of improvement, with leaders of the countries engaging in dialogue. The trespassing incident, however, has set back hopes of full restoration of diplomatic relations.

A Foreign Ministry source said Hun Sen was initially inclined to release the seven captured Thais, but he changed his mind after discovering that Veera Somkwamkid, a leading figure in the Thai Patriots Network, was among the group. Mr Veera was previously caught trespassing on Cambodia's territory though was later freed.

The source said Hun Sen also ordered the detention of the seven Thais after being informed that Mr Panich was among the border inspection group.

According to the source, the Cambodian premier had inquired whether Thepthai Senpong, Mr Abhisit's personal spokesman, was among the trespassers.

The sharp-tongued Mr Thepthai, also a Democrat MP, was among the politicians most critical of Cambodia when bilateral ties were at their lowest point.

Some of his remarks against Hun Sen, made in Mr Abhisit's defence, provoked outrage in Phnom Penh.

Getting out the tape measure

Critics say the government's acceptance of trespassing charges against the seven Thais caught in Cambodia last week will put Thailand at a disadvantage in future border negotiations.

Academics and members of anti-government groups argue the acceptance could amount to Thailand having ceding territory to Cambodia when both countries return to the negotiating table.

But the government may be able to defend itself in this case.

The seven Thais arrested by the Cambodian authorities were detained on Dec 29 after they inspected the border area near Ban Nong Jarn in Sa Kaeo's Khok Sung district.

The group included Democrat Party MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth, Veera Somkwamkid, a PAD co-leader, Samdin Lertbutr, a PAD activist, Tainai Mungmajon and three others identified only as Muay, Uan and Sab.

Speaking over the phone after his arrest, Mr Panich said he had received complaints from local people that Cambodian troops had encroached on their farmland for more than a month and stopped them entering the area.

Although the two sides have different views on the boundary markers (Nos. 46-47) and the border line which is drawn in a direct line between these two marks, the point where the seven Thais arrested is only located 55 metres beyond the border line between the two markers.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told the Bangkok Post that the Thai government accepted that the group of seven Thais entered Cambodian territory but only by about 55 metres based on three confirmations.

First, a Thai military diagram presented at an urgent meeting led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Dec 30 and attended by senior staff of the Foreign Ministry and security agencies clearly showed that the seven Thais had strayed into Cambodian territory.

Second, Cambodian senior officials explained to Mr Kasit how the Thais entered Cambodia when he went on an urgent trip to Phnom Penh on Dec 30 to seek the release of the seven detainees.

Third, the Foreign Ministry's legal staff who inspected the area where the arrests were made admitted the Thais had wandered 55 metres over the Cambodian side of the border line.

But due to the unclear border line, Mr Kasit said both Thai and Cambodian villagers have crossed back and forth frequently. Some Cambodian villagers are living in areas which are believed to belong to Thailand and some Thai villagers are on Cambodian soil.

But Mr Kasit said he has ordered a legal team to make a list of the overlapping areas along the 73 Thai-Cambodian border markers.

A 2005 resolution by Thailand's National Security Council prohibits villagers to move or expand their villages until the Joint Boundary Commission finishes its border demarcation negotiations.

What Thailand accepted might not be acknowledgment of wrongdoing as it defined the encroachment from the line which Thailand used (between markers Nos. 46-47), not from the barbed-wire boundary, said a source.

On Thursday, the seven appeared before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court which is considering whether to look into charges that they trespassed on Cambodian territory.

They were hoping to be granted bail next week.

Border conflicts are not uncommon between neighbouring countries. However, Thailand and Cambodia need to handle such incidents prudently and with compromises as at the end of the day it is the citizens of both countries that will thrive or suffer from the consequences.

I didn't get here by blood ties alone

There is only one military commander who shares the same surname as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, and he is trying to prove that his performance at work justifies his promotion.

Lt Col Pongnupha Vejjajiva, a 37-year-old cousin of Mr Abhisit, was appointed commander of the 11th Cavalry Battalion in Saraburi in December 2009 amid criticism that he was promoted on account he was related to the prime minister.

Pongnupha: I don’t even look like him

After one year in office, admirers say he has proved he deserved the position.

He takes good care of his unit and is trustworthy, they say.

``I can say that I have never disappointed anyone. I have proved that I can be a good commander. You can ask my subordinates what kind of a man I am,'' he said.

The lieutenant colonel said he kept quiet over the criticism as he believed his worth would become evident over time.

He said the remarks against him were unfair as no one had bothered to mention that he had also been blocked in the past because of his surname.

The surname Vejjajiva did not go down well with previous governments.

He insisted that his career was now advancing at a normal pace and if he had worked poorly, he would have been punished for it.

Lt Col Pongnupha comes from Class 33 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.

Some people believe he was rising the career ladder unusually fast.

He argued, however, that promotions on the basis of seniority alone without regard to capability would only harm the military.

He said he worked well with his subordinates and that his surname also required him to prove himself because some people would want to find fault with him.

Senior army officers declined to deploy Lt Col Pongnupha's battalion to cope with last year's red shirt protests because they did not want red shirt demonstrators to target him, an army source said.

His battalion was assigned only to supply personnel vehicles to the soldiers who contained protesters around Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok.

Lt Col Pongnupha also prepared a company of soldiers to assist a United Nations peace-keeping mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.

``Soldiers want national order to return to the country.

``We would like people of all political colours to prioritise the national interest and not hurt the country,'' he said. ``Soldiers do not want to get involved with politics but we had to take action because we are duty-bound to maintain security and order,'' Lt Col Pongnupha said.

He met Mr Abhisit only once at a family party after his promotion. They greeted each other but they did not discuss any issues related to his promotion or politics, he said.

``I want only justice and an opportunity to prove myself. Do not judge me by my surname but by my work,'' Lt Col Pongnupha said.