11/09/2011
Bangkok Post and AFP
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will ask Phnom Penh to release two Thai activists who have been jailed in Cambodia since December.
She will make the request during her official visit to Cambodia on Thursday, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.
Mr Surapong, who will accompany Ms Yingluck to Phnom Penh, said the Cambodia visit will be considered a success if the Thai government can obtain the release of Veera Somkwamkid, a coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, his secretary.
"When we have a chance, we have to help our fellow Thais," the minister said.
Veera and Ratree have been jailed in Cambodia since December on charges of spying and illegal entry.
A Cambodian court sentenced Veera to eight years in jail and Ratree to six years.
The yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy criticised the Democrat-led government for failing to push for their release.
Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is a friend of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, will also visit Phnom Penh, a day after his sister's visit.
A Pheu Thai source said Thaksin would also talk to Cambodian officers about the two imprisoned Thais.
Thaksin's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama yesterday confirmed the former prime minister would would give a lecture on Asian and global economies to parliamentarians from several countries in Phnom Penh tomorrow.
He said Thaksin was invited by the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum and Cambodia Royal Institute to address the lawmakers on the topic.
"Thaksin's trip to Cambodia will be a brief one. He will not be in Phnom Penh on the same day as Ms Yingluck," Mr Noppadon said.
Ms Yingluck made her first official trip abroad yesterday with a one-day visit to Brunei.
The premier insisted she did not meet her brother during the trip, as reported by some media.
Thaksin has visited Brunei several times in recent years, as it is one of the two Asean countries which has allowed him entry since his 2008 corruption conviction.
The prime minister said her visit to Brunei would foster better relations between Thailand and Islamic countries since Brunei is a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, an international body consisting of 57 member states.
Ms Yingluck was welcomed by Hassanal Bolkiah, the sultan of Brunei, before the closed-door meeting, which was expected to touch on the insurgency in Thailand's South, where near-daily attacks have left over 4,700 people dead since 2004.
Ms Yingluck was accompanied by Foreign Minister Surapong, who is scheduled to travel to Indonesia, the Asean chair tomorrow.
After completing her trips to Asean member countries, the prime minister is scheduled to make stops in China and India.
6 comments:
To KI Media,
Can KI Media setup an electronic poll to ask KI Media reader to vote "Will Hun Xen ask Yingluck to release all Khmer citizens?" before PM Yingluck visit Cambodia next week. Keep up the good work.
Kon Khmer and Proud to be Khmer!
"When we have a chance, we have to help our fellow Thais," the minister said..."A Cambodian court sentenced Veera to eight years in jail and Ratree to six years...for spying and illegal entry into Cambodian military base."
= Well...It is kind of funny when Ms Yingluck want to help Siem who repeatedly break Cambodian law such AH Veera! Maybe Ms Yingluck want to free terrorists too! Let it be clear here to Ms Yingluck that Cambodian is a sovereign nation and has law and order! Any Siem break Cambodian law will be judged by the law and will have to do time!
There are countless innocence Cambodian people died at the hand of the Siem military and police without due process! So tell me what make AH Verra and Mee Ratree who is the repeated offenders of Cambodian law more special than those innocence Cambodian who died at the hand of the Siem military and police?
If Ms Yingluck only mission to free the two Siem criminals from Cambodian jail then please don't come and it only a waste of time just stay home in Thailame!
Stay home Ms Yingluck!
A request to realease the two jailed thais is a small part of her visit. The main topic of the agenda is to discuss about the offshore oil overlapping the sea of Thailand and Cambodia.
Also her trip is to get thailand half of the pie on joining/owning business venture on prasat khmer preah vihear.
Kon Khmer and Proud to be Khmer!
when we have a chance, we must help our khmer people, too, you know! we demand thailand release all khmer people from their jails the same way thai prime minister want cambodia to release these thai prisoners, you know!
If PM Hun Sen truely loves Khmers, please take this advantage to free all Khmers that being detained or jailed in Thailand.
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