With so much hatred from the Thai Yellow Shirts, will Hun Xen still let Veera Somkwamkid go?

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Veera Somkwamkid

[Thai] Govt in talks to repatriate Veera, Ratree [-Will Hun Xen let the Yellow Shirts leave]

2/04/2012
Thanida Tansubhapol
Bangkok Post

PHNOM PENH : Thailand has held prisoner-exchange talks with Cambodia in a bid to get two Thais repatriated.

Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkaew yesterday met his Cambodian counterpart Ung Seng on the sidelines of an Asean summit in Phnom Penh.

A ministry source said both sides raised the possibility of helping Veera Somkwamkid, the Thai Patriots Network's coordinator, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon by exchanging prisoners.

It was the first time a prisoner exchange was officially discussed since Cambodia proposed the option during a visit by Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul late last year. The two countries also talked about a royal pardon for a group of prisoners, without mentioning Veera or Ratree, said the source.

Thailand, Cambodia to talk prisoner exchange

Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

Thai Foreign Minister Sura-pong Tovichakchaikul will discuss a prisoner exchange with Cambodia when he visits for the ASEAN Summit, Chinese news agency Xinhua has reported him saying.

Thailand wants to take home nationals Veera Somkwamkid, the coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary, Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, who are serving lengthy sentences in Prey Sar prison.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said last week that Cambodia would consider the request.

Thai prisoner swap floated [-Swap idea coincides with Thaksin's visit?]

Thai Yellow Shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid, right, and his secretary Ratree Pipapatanapaiboon, second left, speak to reporters at the Appeal Court in Phnom Penh in December last year. Photo Vireak Mai

Friday, 16 March 2012
Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia officials yesterday said they would “consider” pro­posals reportedly advanced by their Thai counterparts involving the exchange of high-profile prisoners Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, who are now serving time at Prey Sar prison.

The Bangkok Post reported on Thursday that Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul had said he would discuss with Cambodian officials a possible exchange between the two countries that would release the convicted spies.

Veera, a leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy, also known as the “Yellow Shirts”, and his secretary Ratree were arrested in December 2010, along with five others after crossing the border into Banteay Meanchey province.

Poor Veera, Hilton-Prey Sar is not good for his health!

(Photo: The Nation)

Veera ill in Cambodian jail, says senator

March 13, 2012
The Nation

Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn said in the Senate yesterday he had learned that the Thai Patriots Network's Veera Somkwamkid is seriously ill in a Cambodian prison with jaundice and legs so swollen he cannot walk.

Veera’s relatives had taken doctors from Bangkok Hospital in Phnom Penh to treat him at high cost, Somchai said.

He asked how the government could help Veera, who is coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, adding that the father of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was currently having cancer treatment in Thailand.

Thailand extradites four Khmer prisoners to Cambodia

SA KAEO, Feb 1 (MCOT online news) - Thailand on Wednesday extradited four Cambodian prisoners, but the Sa Kaeo prison chief denies it was an exchange for two Thai activists jailed earlier in Phnom Penh for espionage.

Sa Kaeo Deputy Governor Chat Kittinoppadon and Sa Kaeo Provincial Prison Commander Kittipat Dechapahun witnessed the handover ceremony of four Cambodian prisoners -- two men and two women -- to the Cambodian government through Cambodian ambassador to Thailand You Aye.

It was the first time that a handover was held at a local checkpoint as the event was held in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo province.

The four men were jailed at Sa Kaeo Provincial Prison for drug-related offences and have completed one-third of their jail term. They are now entitled to be extradited to finish their jail terms in their homeland.

[Yellow-shirt petition on] Preah Vihear case rejected [by Thai court]

27/01/2012
Bangkok Post

The Central Administrative Court on Friday rejected a petition filed by a yellow-shirt splinter group seeking to stop the government from withdrawing Thai troops from the disputed areas around the Preah Vihear temple.

The petition was filed by Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a core leader of the Thailand Patriot Network, on Jan 12.

In his complaint, Mr Chaiwat asked the court to issue an order prohibiting the Yingluck Shinawatra administration from following a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last year. The provisional order by the ICJ ordered both Thailand and Cambodia to withdraw their troops from the 17.3 square kilometre demilitarised area surrounding the 900-year-old temple.

[Thai] Activists ask court to stop planned Thai troop withdrawal from disputed border [-If only Cambodians can do the same for Cambodian troops!!!]

Activists ask court to stop planned Thai troop withdrawal from disputed border

Friday, 13 January 2012
MCOT

BANGKOK, Jan 11 – Thai nationalist activists on Wednesday sought court approval to suspend the Thai government order that the army withdraw troops from the disputed Preah Vihear temple border area as earlier demanded by the World Court.

A group of nationalist activists led by Chaiwat Sinsuwong petitioned the Administrative Court, asking it to stop Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from interfering with the Thai military after her government ordered the military to withdraw its troops from the area around the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

The group also asked the court to order the Thai government to withdraw from the case filed by Cambodia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and reject the legal binding of any court rulings.

Thai Foreign Minister visits Cambodia

BANGKOK, Dec 29 (MCOT) -- Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul left Thailand for Cambodia Thursday morning to strengthen bilateral ties and prepare for the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting which will resume soon.

Mr Surapong told reporters at Suvarnabhumi Airport that during his two-day visit, he will meet his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong to follow up agreements made during Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Phnom Penh in September.

The Thai foreign minister will discuss preparations for the Thai-Cambodian boundary meeting which is expected to resume soon and also ask for clarification from Cambodia on the Dec 15 shooting incident when Cambodian troops fired on a Thai helicopter in order to better understand the circumstances.

The Royal Thai Navy helicopter was shot in mid-air while delivering food to a military base situated near the Cambodian border in Trat province. No one was injured but the helicopter was slightly damaged and was forced to make an emergency landing.

Mr Surapong said he would seek more details on the latest developments regarding two Thai activists jailed in Cambodia for espionage charges after their Cambodian lawyer yesterday withdrew their appeal against the verdict of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance, opening the way to seek a royal pardon from the Cambodian king.

Two Thai spies jailed in Cambodia withdraw Appeal complaint

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- The two Thai "Yellow-Shirt" activists jailed in Cambodia for espionage appeared in the Court of Appeal on Wednesday to withdraw their complaint against the verdict of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance.

The pair are Veera Somkwamkid, one of the leaders of the People 's Network against Corruption and a high-profile activist in the Thailand Patriot Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance, on Feb.1, convicted Veera and Ratree of illegal entry, unlawful entry into military base and espionage and sentenced them to eight years and six years in jail respectively.

In later February, the two Thais lodged an appeal against the verdict.

Thai doctor allowed to treat ailing Veera in Cambodian jail [-Why does Veera deserve special treatment?]

November 29, 2011
The Nation

Cambodia has granted permission for a Thai doctor to visit activist Veera Somkhamkid in Pray Sar prison on the outskirts of Phnom Penh in order to treat the detainee for a chronic illness, Foreign Minister Surapong Towichuk-chaikul said yesterday.

The visit is expected to take place next week. Veera and Ratree Pipattanapai-boon have been held since last December, a Cambodian court having convicted them of espionage after they inspected disputed border areas near Ban Nongchan in Sa Kaeo.

Veera was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, while Ratree was jailed for six years for the same charge.

Cambodia allows Thai medic to visit Veera

November 28, 2011
The Nation

Cambodia allowed Thai medic to visit detained Thai activist Veera Somkhamkid in Pray Sar prison outskirt of Phnom Penh to provide him medical treatment for his chronic illness, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said Monday.

Veera was detained together with Ratree Pipattanapaiboon since December last year for espionage charge as they inspected disputed border areas near Sakaew province Ban Nongchan.

He was sentenced eight years imprisonment while Ratree was jailed six years for the same charge.

Appeal date pushed back for Thai spies

Thai Yellow Shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid is escorted out of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post)

Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

The Court of Appeal yesterday postponed the hearing of convicted Thai spies Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipapatanapaiboon due to their lack of defence lawyers and Thai interpreters.

Samrith Sophal, a judge at the Court of Appeal, said that the duo’s appeal hearing, which was set to open yesterday, has been postponed to November 28.

“Their case is criminal and [they] must have lawyers to defend them for their hearing. Due to their lack of defence lawyers and interpreters, it is decided to postpone their appeal hearing to November 28,” he told reporters yesterday at the Court of Appeal.

Surapong: Hun Sen will help Veera, Ratree get pardons [-Hun Xen's gift to Yingluck?]

Veera Somkwamkid

27/09/2011
Bangkok Post

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has shown an intention to help Thai Patriots Network coordinator Veera Somkwankid and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon get a royal pardon, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said in New York on Tuesday.

Mr Surapong said the matter was discussed with Hun Sen when he and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited Cambodia on Sept 15.

The Cambodian prime minister said he would help by getting a reduction of the jail terms they were sentenced to by the Phnom Penh Court. This would enable them to meet the requirement for seeking a royal pardon.

Steps must be taken before reaching that stage but it was unlikely to be too long before they were freed because Hun Sen had expressed his intention to help, said the foreign minister.

[Thai] FM: Cambodia to help Veera, Ratree [-Hun Xen to help the Yellow Shirt to please the Red Shirts?]

27/09/2011
Bangkok Post

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has shown an intention to help Thai Patriots Network coordinator Veera Somkwankid and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon get a royal pardon, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said in New York on Tuesday.

Mr Surapong said the matter was raised for discussion with Hun Sen when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and he visited Cambodia on Sept 15.

He said the Cambodian prime minister said he would help by reducing the jail terms handed down on them by the Phnom Penh Court to enable them to finally meet a requirement to seek a royal pardon.

Steps must be taken before reaching that stage but it was unlikely to be too long before they were freed because Hun Sen had expressed his intention to help, said the foreign minister.

Hun Xen mulled the idea of exchanging Yellow Shirts Veera and Ratree behing closed doors?

Jail move not a precursor to early release

27/09/2011
King-Oua Laohong & Manop Thip-Osod
Bangkok Post

Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, two Thais in jail in Cambodia for spying, cannot be released early under prisoner exchange or prisoner transfer programmes, Justice Minister Pracha Promnok says.

Thailand and Cambodia do not have a prisoner exchange pact, only a transfer programme which allows each country to transfer inmates to serve their remaining jail terms in their homeland, Pol Gen Pracha said.

Under a prisoner transfer, he said, inmates can be sent home to serve out their terms if their transgressions do not concern national security. But they must serve one-third of the sentence first.

Veera and Ratree's cases do not match with these conditions, he said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen raised the exchange idea during informal talks with Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa in Phnom Penh last week.

Yellow shirts in no rush to get back into politics

September 18, 2011
The Nation

A return by the anti-Thaksin PAD, and its former head Sondhi, looks unlikely given recent developments

Under the Yingluck government, things are moving fast. Probably too fast for the yellow shirts to know how to feel. The new government's push for the release of the two People's Alliance for Democracy activists jailed in Cambodia must have presented the movement with a dilemma. What should the yellow shirts do now, when Thaksin Shinawatra, the Preah Vihear Temple and Cambodia are concerned?

Many analysts believe that the yellow shirts have all but lost their political clout, which five years ago was strong enough to precipitate the downfall of Thaksin. But whatever the real state of the PAD is at present, what happens next to Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon is unlikely to strengthen the movement. On the contrary, the PAD's key resolves - on Thai sovereignty, and on the issue of amnesty for Thaksin - will be put to serious tests if the activists win freedom in the near future.

Political football anyone?

18/09/2011
Bangkok Post

The Democrat Party will play in a charity football match to raise money to help flood victims next Saturday.

The match is seen as a move to steal the show from a delegation of Pheu Thai MPs who will play a friendly with Cambodia MPs on the same day.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will skipper a team made up of players from the Democrat Party such as former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij, Nattapol Theepasuwan, Narathas Kaewthong.

They will play against a team featuring celebrities at Chulalongkorn University Stadium on Sept 24. Proceeds from ticket sales and money raised during the match will go towards helping flood victims.

Chalerm declined to say if Thaksin had helped release two Thais in Cambodia

By NNT
Pattaya Mail

BANGKOK, 14 September 2011 -Deputy Prime Minister Pol Capt. Chalerm Yubamrung refused to say whether ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the attempt to release the two Thais in Cambodian prison or not while saying that the legal charges against Mr. Thaksin were not qualified for criminal extradition.

According to Pol Capt. Chalerm, it would be considered a present from Cambodia to release Mr. Veera Somkwamid and Ms. Ratree Pipattanapaiboon when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited the country. However, it is not known that whether the two will return to Thailand with the Prime Minister or not.

Regarding Mr.Thaksin, the Deputy Prime Minister expressed no opinion on the speculation that Mr. Thaksin could have been securing the release of the two remaining Thais in Cambodia. He simply added that every one already knew.

No royal pardon for PAD Thai Veera and Ratree?