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| Thai Yellow Shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid is led to Phnom Penh Municipal Court for sentencing last month. Veera is preparing to appeal to the Prime Minister for a pardon. |
Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post
A pair of Thai nationalists convicted of espionage earlier this month in a highly charged case are preparing to appeal to Prime Minister Hun Sen for their release, a defence lawyer said yesterday.
Veera Somkwamkid, a high-profile member of Thailand’s nationalist Yellow Shirt movement, was convicted of espionage, illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base along with an associate, Ratree Pipatanapaiboon.
Veera, 53, was sentenced to eight years in jail and ordered to pay 1.8 million riel (about US$444) in fines, while Ratree received a six-year prison term.
“I am preparing all the documents to request a pardon and we will submit the letter to the Premier soon,” said Pich Vicheka, Veera’s Cambodian lawyer.
“I am not sure what the result will be, but I have to fulfil my professional obligation to help my client.”
Veera and Ratree were arrested in December in Banteay Meanchey province along with five other Thais, including parliamentarian Panich Vikitsreth, who were on an expedition to “investigate” the border demarcation process with Cambodia.
Panich and the other four Thais were found guilty of illegal entry last month but were released on suspended sentences.
In a speech earlier this month, Hun Sen rejected the possibility of pardons for Veera and Ratree.
“Don’t come to persuade me to ask for a royal pardon, I will not do that and [the case] will be enforced under the law this time,” he said.
Under Cambodian law, prisoners are eligible for pardon after serving two-thirds of their jail sentences.
In 2009, however, the government released a Thai national sentenced to seven years in prison on espionage charges just days after his conviction.
The suspect, an airport engineer named Sivarak Chutipong, was arrested for allegedly passing the flight details of Thaksin Shinawatra to the Thai Embassy during one of the fugitive former Thai prime minister’s controversial visits to the Kingdom.
Thai officials could not be reached for comment yesterday, though Thai state media reported that the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was working on the pardon request and that the Thai embassy in Cambodia had “negotiated a compromise with concerned authorities” in relation to the case.
Ros Aun, a defence lawyer for Ratree, said he was unaware of the pardon request but confirmed that his client had elected not to appeal her conviction.
10 comments:
Rainsy he has no leadershipe skile Sumora she does, rainsy was supported by srp or Sumara money, thise girly never work in his life, how he man enought to run the nation, he just a son of a traitor, he only know how to speak, criticise and anger, and cheating you and me. he follow his father Sam sary foot print, gave him a slape he will wake up and learn how to do something to lives, he never help khmer, some idoit said he is khmer compatriote, they are absolutly wrong, pol pot kill khmer rainsy never call on un or franch for help, wasn't it right? but after 1993 he came to cambodia and run ministry of finance, it just his business, stope believe this idiot rainsy. if you are smart you can clearly see idiot rainsy have nothing superior for you to believed in, if he cheat you, and you accepted it, then all of you are completly madness man, do YOU HEAR me KMHERIZATION, IF YOU SPEND YOUR ENERGY AND TIMEs TO HELP KHMER TO EDUCATE, UP TO NOW MILLION OF PEOPLE THEY KNOW YOU AND ALL THANK TO YOU, AND YOU MAY BE MY HERO TOO, BUT YOUR WISDOME ARE LESS THAN AN ORDINARY PEOPLE, IDOIT RAINSY COULD CHEAT YOU EASILY, WHAT YOU GOT, MAY BE An air promise, how could you blindly do business like that or may be you are belong to the cheater team too, I think most of you and Ki just stupid tools for Rainsy. you See I am not kind to any one, I need real man the man who IS well prepare for success the man who do somethings day in day out, the man who refuse to stope fighting for success on an importance work in his hands, a man who could see result in month a head, not useless man like you Khmerization and KI that are good in separeting and spreading ignorance hatreat and anger in Khmer community. let me ask you if Rainsy in power you thinks all poor rainsy team will not corrupt, and rainsy be able to claim land back from vietnam, or he strong enought to dealt with thai. will Rainsy capable of command those Hun sen general, and will rainsy not fled to france when we have war. say the truth all about Rainsy power and become millioniar himself then he retire in franch isn't right?. technicaly I shall never insult some one to convince them specialy educated people like all of you but you make a bige mistake and you use to talk low class than what I mention above, but if I did not show you this way you don't know yourself as one of those ignorance scumback, may be you are worsh than them becouse you did spread hatred and devide my people for many years and some hundreds of ignorance like you believed your fall preaching.Mike
Veera was very disdainful to the court. A pardon is not needed. He must serve the time.
Yep, keep these 2 monkeys in jail. They don't deserve a royal pardon. They entered Khmer territory illegally and arrogantly denied it and claimed it was Siem territory. You 2 clowns deserve to stay in jail for 8 more years.
Seeking a pardon from a guy who put them there in the first place. This show how smart these Thais are....
Mike- 11:09 pm
Here are your week points:
1- Your English poroficency Essay is failing- spelling, gramma, context, and organization. You need about four more years to learn English.
2- First you said -Sam Rainsy cheats, then you said he is poor. You contradict your own say.
3- Sam Rainsy is not the head of state like Hun Sen; he is the assemblyman, so he helps Khmer people according to his title and responsiblity- do not expect him to do work like Hun sen does unless he become Prime ministe.
4- Not calling the UN is not his faulse. You should see that those who helped brought the Khmer Rouge regime are at fault. This include Mr. Hun Sen and especially Yuon.
5- I know you love Hun Sen but Hun Sen or Sam Rainsy are just individuals. What we concern is that in the future when Hun Sen or Sam Rainsy or you or I die, Cambodia become the state of Vietnam. It is not abut Hun Sen or about Sam Rainsy. You can call me idiot but I do not want to call you back idiot. I just want Khmer people to be awakened that Cambbokdia is now run by Yuon.
Nak Sreh. finished elementary.
the thugs are seeking pardon from our country too soon, i say must must serve at least 2/3 of their time in prison as the law required before consideration; otherwise, they do not learn and behave or respect the law and will do it again and again and so on... right fair to khmer people and cambodia as a country, you know!
I say keep them in jail for these ungrateful Thai people. Because we keep release them early, they have respect for Cambodia, because they know they can get away with it. KEEP THEM IN JAIL I KNOW IT COST MONEY BUT DO KEEP THEM IN JAIL.
Thank You KI media for your existance. Without you a lot of true imformation is lost, I wish the better-off people can help you financially. Unlike the national stealers- Moan Porng leu sreou- CPP, the natinalists including KI, SRP, etc. live on donation. Those who decicated their time, money, effort, mentality for the sake of opposition to dictator-the puppet- should be appreciated and credited. Again, thank to KI, to SRP supporters and to all other opposition.
correction: I should learn to double check my writing
I say keep them in jail for the ungrateful Thai people. If we keep on releasing them early, they will have no respect for Cambodia, because they know they can get away with it.
KEEP THEM IN JAIL I KNOW IT COST MONEY BUT DO KEEP THEM IN JAIL.
they have not show good behavior, i say don't consider their illegal and corrupted request. let them serve their term, really! they are criminals and assholes!
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