Hun Sen’s Hostage Ploy [-Thai newspaper clueless and totally confused of the actual situation?]

17 November 2009
From ‘Ka Fae Dum (Black Coffee)’ column, Krungthep Thurakij newspaper, November 16th, p.2
Translated and edited by Wacharapol Isaranont

Here and now, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is seemingly using a similar tactic to pressure the Thai government by making what appears to be a false allegation against a Thai expatriate in Cambodia and throwing him in prison.

Siwarak Chotipong, a Thai engineer based in Cambodia, was arrested last Wednesday (November 11th) on charges of stealing the flight schedule of convicted Thai fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra prior to his arrival in Phnom Penh.

If the Cambodian government insists that Siwarak committed an act that would harm its national security, it must clarify the charge with Thai embassy officials in Phnom Penh and allow the engineer the opportunity to find a lawyer and stand in a court of law.

However, the truth is the Thai embassy has not been granted permission to visit Siwarak. In addition, it was not disclosed where the Thai suspect was being detained and whether he has managed to secure the services of a lawyer. This seems to make him a hostage rather than a suspect. What the Cambodian government has done is not in accordance with international norms.

According to Cambodian police, the Thai engineer was alleged to have stolen the flight itinerary of Thaksin, which it regarded as highly-classified information. But, is it so?

How could a flight schedule be seen as confidential information that could threaten Cambodia's national security when it is usually accessible to airlines, pilots, and air-traffic control centers? And earlier, some of Pheu Thai Party MPs and key leaders of the anti-government and Thaksin-backed Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship also revealed details of Thaksin’s visit to Phnom Penh.

What is more, did Siwarak actually steal the flight schedule and give it to the first secretary of the Thai embassy? What act would be regarded as stealing? As an engineer at the Samart subsidiary Cambodia Air Traffic Services, which was given a concession to manage flights in the country, wouldn’t Siwarak’s line of duty allow him access to the information on a regular basis?

There was no need for the Thai engineer to secretly photocopy the itinerary and send it to the Thai embassy as alleged by the Cambodian government (This is the digital age already!)

I could not help suspect that Cambodia’s allegation against Siwarak is just another political ploy to put more pressure on the government to accept conditions proposed by Hun Sen and Thaksin.

The Thai government must not play into Hun Sen’s game. Instead, it must carefully adopt diplomatic procedures, gather evidence to counter the allegation, and show the rest of the world Hun Sen and Thaksin’s atrocious plan.