Cambodia denies premier's daughter taking stake in air traffic firm

Mon, 23 Nov 2009
DPA

Phnom Penh - Cambodia rejected Monday a Thai media claim that the daughter of Prime Minister Hun Sen is to take a stake in a Thai firm at the centre of a spying row. A cabinet statement said the government's management of Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a Thai-owned air traffic control firm, is temporary.

However, the statement did not indicate how long the government's hold over CATS would last.

"The spokesman wishes to stress, once again, that the Royal Government of Cambodia appointed its officials to temporarily supervise and manage the company, only to protect the national security and safety for Cambodian leaders," it said.

A Thai employee of CATS was arrested November 12 for allegedly leaking the flight details of Thailand's fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his recent visit to Cambodia.

Thaksin was in Cambodia in his capacity as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government and as a personal adviser to Hun Sen.

The two appointments and Thaksin's visit sparked a diplomatic row that plunged relations between the neighbouring countries to their lowest level in years, as each government recalled its ambassador.

Cambodian gov't rejects report on PM's daughter

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government Monday denied the news report that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's daughter was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS).

A statement issued by the Cambodian government on Monday said "The Spokesman of the Royal Government of Cambodia totally rejects the report of the Thai News Agency on Nov. 21, 2009, which was confirmed by Panitan Wattanayakorn, the Royal Thai Government's acting Spokesman, alleging that the daughter of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister, was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a private company."

"The Spokesman wishes to stress, once again, that the Royal Government of Cambodia appointed its officials to temporarily supervise and manage the company, only to protect the national security and safety for Cambodian leaders," it said.

"In addition," the statement went on that "the temporary supervision and management of CATS by the Royal Government of Cambodia will continue until the court's final decision to bring an end to the case of the Thai staff, who has been accused of disclosing the confidential flight schedule of Thaksin Shinawatra."

"Following the court's final decision, the Royal Government of Cambodia will take position on the company's management," it added.

Cambodian PM's daughter to take over CATS

All in the hands of a family

BANGKOK, Nov 21 (TNA) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s daughter plans to hold shares in Thai-owned Cambodia Traffic Air Services (CATS) after the Cambodian government has temporarily taken over management of the firm, according to Dr Panitan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the Thai prime minister.

Dr Panitan, also acting government spokesman, confirmed the news report that Cambodian leader's daughter is planning to hold shares in CATS.

The plan followed confirmation by the Cambodian government of its temporarily assuming control of the management of the country's air traffic control company following the arrest of CATS employee Siwarak Chutipong on charges of espionage.

Tekreth Samrach, a deputy minister of Cambodia’s Council of Ministers, said in Phnom Penh Friday that his government acted against CATS for the sake of national security and for flight safety. Nine other Thai employees of the company were also banned from the workplace.

Meanwhile, Chawanon Intarakomalsut, the Thai Foreign Minister’s secretary, said in Bangkok that CATS is registered in Hong Kong and it was not possible to determine the identity of its shareholders.

He said, however, it would be difficult for any individual to take over the company, but his ministry would try to assist CATS. So far the company has not requested help.

He said the Thai foreign ministry is studying whether CATS is included in the Thai Cambodian Investment Protection Act as it is registered in Hong Kong.

Dr Panithan said that he did not know whether the company could be protected as other companies registered in Cambodia.

It is up to the company to file a request for the Cambodian government to consider, said Mr Panithan, adding that the firm’s lawyer and Mr Siwarak’s lawyer are different persons.

Referring to the bail request for detained Siwarak, Mr Chawanon said he expected that the process could be completed next week.

Mr Siwarak’s mother could also probably visit her son next week, Mr Chawanon added.

Relations between the two neighbouring countries have been strained after Phnom Penh rejected a formal request from Thailand to extradite Mr Thaksin during his five-day stay in Cambodia, beginning November 10.

The situation deteriorated when ambassadors of the two countries were recalled. Mr Siwarak was apprehended in Phnom Penh on spying charges on November 12 when he was seen releasing flight information on the fugitive former Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra’s, to a Thai embassy official.

Thai official confirms Hun Sen's daughter to take over CATS

BANGKOK, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's daughter plans to hold shares in Cambodia Traffic Air Services (CATS) after the Cambodian government has temporarily taken over management of the firm, a Thai senior official confirmed Saturday.

Panitan Wattanayakorn, Thai acting government spokesman confirmed the news report that Hun Sen's daughter is planning to hold shares in CATS.

Having controlled CATS by the Cambodia government occurs after Siwarak Chothipong, a 31-year-old-Thai man, who worked as engineer at CATS, has been arrested from Nov. 11, according to the arrest warrant of prosecutor of Phnom Penh Municipality Court.

Cambodia has charged Siwarak of having had confidential information affecting Cambodia's national security, a senior Thai official said Wednesday.

According to a news report by the Khmer language newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea, Siwarak spied through copying the letters of flights of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Cambodia and Hun Sen from CATS which has duties to control all flights in country and he sent those reports to Thailand.

Siwarak has been detained in a prison in Phnom Penh since last week as the Thai government is now in the process of seeking a release for him.

Chawanon Intarakomalsut, Thai Foreign Minister's secretary said he expected that the process could be completed next week and the engineer's mother could probably visit her son next week.

He also said it would be difficult for any individual to take over the company, but his ministry would try to assist CATS. So far the company has not requested help.

Panithan said that he did not know whether the company could be protected as other companies registered in Cambodia, and it's up to the company to file a request for the Cambodian government to consider.

Thailand and Cambodia have downgraded their diplomatic relations due to conflict over an appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to Cambodia's government and Hun Sen on Nov. 4.

A day after the appointment of Thaksin, the Cambodian government announced recall of its ambassador to Thailand in a move to respond to the Thai government's recall of its ambassador to Cambodia.

Thaksin was ousted by the military coup in September 2006, in accusation of corruption, and has been kept in exile since then. He returned to Thailand in February 2008 to face corruption charges, but he later fled into exile again and was convicted in absentia.

Somchai invited to Hun Sen’s daughter wedding

Somchai Wongsawat and Yaowapa, his wife and Thaksin's sister (Photo: AP)

04 Jan 2009
By Ung Chansophea and Alain Ney
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Click here to read the article in French
Translated from French by Luc Sâr

A destitute by the justice in his country and excluded from politics for a five-year term, the former Thai government leader travelled to the neighboring kingdom.

Guests to the wedding of Hun Mana, the owner of Bayon TV station and Hun Sen’s daughter, were surprised to see the presence of Somchai Wongsawat, the former Thai PM, and his wife at the wedding on Friday 02 January at the Mondial Center in Phnom Penh. Somchai Wongsawat was present as a “private party,” Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, insisted.

Somchai is the former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s brother-in-law, the latter is currently living in exile to escape justice in his country. Somchai was removed from power in December 2008 by the Thai constitutional court, following several months of political crisis.

Second marriage for both Hun Mana, Hun Sen’s daughter, and Dy Vihea, Hok Lundy’s son

Tuesday, December 23, 2008
KI-Media

Hun Mana, Hun Sen’s daughter, will marry Dy Vichea, Hok Lundy’s son, in a two-day celebration that will be held on January 1-2 2009. The Cambodia Daily reported that this is a second marriage for the pair as Dy Vichea was once married to Hun Chantha, Hun Mana’s cousin, and Hun Mana was once married to Moeung Kumpheak, son of 3-star general Moeung Samphon. “It is their right to marry if they love each other, it is not about political alliance,” Cheam Yeap was quoted as saying by The Cambodia Daily in a pro-active defense of the pair. Hun Manit, Hun Mana’s brother, is also married to Dy Chindavy, Hok Lundy’s daughter. Who says lightning does not strike twice in the same family? We meant love lightning, not the kind of lightning that struck the helicopter of 4-gold-star general Hy Lung Dok.

CPP real life soap opera at Bayon TV: Revealed by no other than Hun Sen's daughter, Hun Mana

Hun Mana, director of Bayon TV and Radio and daughter of the PM seen in a file photo. (Photo: HENG CHIVOAN)

Prime minster's daughter lashes out at journalist over tryst claims

Thursday, 21 August 2008
Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

HUN Mana, the daughter of Prime Minster Hun Sen and the director general of Bayon Radio and Television, lashed out at a journalist with Beauty magazine in a letter submitted to Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith, accusing the writer of defamation and asking the minister to take action.

The letter, dated last Thursday, accused San Bunthoeurn of defamation stemming from a story he published in the August 15-31 issue of his publication. In the story, he described an alleged love triangle between Bayon programme manager Tit Thavarith, actress Sim Solika and a second man, Por Sam Oeun.

The letter did not detail the substance of the defamation but said the claims made were untrue and were intended merely to damage the honour and popularity of Bayon. It added that San Bunthoeurn had tried to extort money from actors and high-level staff at the station and had previously tried to get a job there.

San Bunthoeurn had been given permission to interview Bayon staff members but he misled them about the subject of the story he was writing and later demanded US$3,000 from Tit Thavarith to stop the article from running, the letter claimed.

Hun Mana could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Bayon's deputy director general, Rith Chetra, told the Post he knew nothing about the matter and that it has nothing to do with him or with the station.

San Bunthoeurn defended his story against criticisms raised in the letter. "I based it on anonymously sourced comments of staff and actors," he said. He added that he had not asked for money, but said Tit Thavarith tried to stop publication of the story. Khieu Kanharith said he would not pursue legal action against the magazine as it was a private matter.