ID :
157976
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 14:26
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/157976
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Arrest of seven Thais won't affect Thai-Cambodian relations, says DPM
BANGKOK, Jan 19 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban reiterated on Wednesday (Jan 19) that Cambodia's arrest of seven Thai nationals late last year is unlikely to affect bilateral relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh, as Thai and Cambodian leaders have expressed their common stance on forging ahead sound relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Suthep, who oversees national security, acknowledged that there has been positive progress on the case and he believes bilateral ties and cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia will be eventually back on a momentum toward further development, urging the Thai public to be optimistic as well.
The Thai deputy premier also said that he believes in justice and leniency of the Cambodian court, as the arrested Thais had testified that they did not intend any detrimental act against Cambodia when entering into a border area claimed by Phnom Penh--where they were captured by Cambodian soldiers on December 29.
Suthep noted, however, that the Thai and Cambodian judicial systems should be similar in terms that a pardon is open after a final court verdict, and that the Thai government, through authorities concerned particularly Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, will continue trying every mean to seek freedom for all the seven Thai nationals arrested in Cambodia, six of whom have been granted bail by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court pending their trial, leaving only a leading activist of the Thai Patriots Network (TPN), Veera Somkwamkid, to remain at the Prey Sor Prison in the Cambodian capital.
In response to yesterday's arrest of two more TPN leaders, Chaiwat Sunsuwong and Somboon Thongburan by Thai police on charges of terrorism and involving in an unlawful occupation of Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi Airport in late 2008, the Thai deputy premier said that the two leading TPN activists were among seven remaining accused on the charges who failed to report to the police, and that the Thai police's operation was legitimate following a Thai court's earlier approvals of arrest warrants against the two activists of TPN, aligned with the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). (TNA)
Suthep, who oversees national security, acknowledged that there has been positive progress on the case and he believes bilateral ties and cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia will be eventually back on a momentum toward further development, urging the Thai public to be optimistic as well.
The Thai deputy premier also said that he believes in justice and leniency of the Cambodian court, as the arrested Thais had testified that they did not intend any detrimental act against Cambodia when entering into a border area claimed by Phnom Penh--where they were captured by Cambodian soldiers on December 29.
Suthep noted, however, that the Thai and Cambodian judicial systems should be similar in terms that a pardon is open after a final court verdict, and that the Thai government, through authorities concerned particularly Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, will continue trying every mean to seek freedom for all the seven Thai nationals arrested in Cambodia, six of whom have been granted bail by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court pending their trial, leaving only a leading activist of the Thai Patriots Network (TPN), Veera Somkwamkid, to remain at the Prey Sor Prison in the Cambodian capital.
In response to yesterday's arrest of two more TPN leaders, Chaiwat Sunsuwong and Somboon Thongburan by Thai police on charges of terrorism and involving in an unlawful occupation of Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi Airport in late 2008, the Thai deputy premier said that the two leading TPN activists were among seven remaining accused on the charges who failed to report to the police, and that the Thai police's operation was legitimate following a Thai court's earlier approvals of arrest warrants against the two activists of TPN, aligned with the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). (TNA)
