Saturday, 16 May 2009
By Soy Sopheap
DAP news
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Kasit Piromya, Thailand’s minister of Foreign Affairs, and his wife surreptitiously crossed the border to Koh Kong province through the international border gate at 2:30 PM on Saturday 16 May 2009. Kasit was accompanied by Thai embassy officials in Cambodia and 13 Thai officials (5 men and 8 women). His entry to Cambodia was tracked and Kasit, his wife and his colleagues stopped at the Ta Tay bridge to take pictures and rest until 4:40 PM before returning back to Thailand.
A [Cambodian] official from Koh Kong province told DAP news in the evening of Saturday that Kasit’s arrival in Koh Kong was not known by Cambodian provincial officials, therefore nobody came to greet him. This is a puzzling issue for Koh Kong residents, and they wondered about the reason behind Kasit’s visit to Koh Kong province. The same Cambodian official said that when Kasit and his party returned back to Thailand in diplomatic Thai embassy cars, an intense rain poured down and it was accompanied by lightning that chased after Kasit’s car. Such phenomenon was never seen before in the province of Koh Kong.
Kasit, who was wearing a white shirt and a black jacket, used the restroom at the Koh Konh Resort Hotel prior to his departure from Cambodia. The same source indicated that on 15 May, Thailand’s ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Cambodian provincial officials to allow Kasit’s unofficial visit to Koh Kong province without the need for a passport or a visa. However, Koh Kong provincial officials rejected this demand, and they told Thai officials to make the request to the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs first because the provincial authority does not have the right to make such decision.
It should be reminded also that it was Kasit who turned down and rejected the request made by the Cambodian Foreign Affairs’ ministry for Thailand to pay a $2 million compensation for the destruction of a Cambodian market located near Preah Vihear temple on 03 April 2009.
Kasit used to lead Thai yellow shirt demonstrators in protest against Somchai Vongsavat’s government, Thaksin’s brother-in-law, by occupying Thai airport. Kasit was also opposed to Cambodia regarding the Preah Vihear temple issue, as Thailand wanted to regain back this temple.
A [Cambodian] official from Koh Kong province told DAP news in the evening of Saturday that Kasit’s arrival in Koh Kong was not known by Cambodian provincial officials, therefore nobody came to greet him. This is a puzzling issue for Koh Kong residents, and they wondered about the reason behind Kasit’s visit to Koh Kong province. The same Cambodian official said that when Kasit and his party returned back to Thailand in diplomatic Thai embassy cars, an intense rain poured down and it was accompanied by lightning that chased after Kasit’s car. Such phenomenon was never seen before in the province of Koh Kong.
Kasit, who was wearing a white shirt and a black jacket, used the restroom at the Koh Konh Resort Hotel prior to his departure from Cambodia. The same source indicated that on 15 May, Thailand’s ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Cambodian provincial officials to allow Kasit’s unofficial visit to Koh Kong province without the need for a passport or a visa. However, Koh Kong provincial officials rejected this demand, and they told Thai officials to make the request to the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs first because the provincial authority does not have the right to make such decision.
It should be reminded also that it was Kasit who turned down and rejected the request made by the Cambodian Foreign Affairs’ ministry for Thailand to pay a $2 million compensation for the destruction of a Cambodian market located near Preah Vihear temple on 03 April 2009.
Kasit used to lead Thai yellow shirt demonstrators in protest against Somchai Vongsavat’s government, Thaksin’s brother-in-law, by occupying Thai airport. Kasit was also opposed to Cambodia regarding the Preah Vihear temple issue, as Thailand wanted to regain back this temple.
