A Change of Guard

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Tuesday 17 November 2009

PM Abhisit: Thai official meets detained engineer; Legal process to be clarified Wednesday


BANGKOK, Nov 17 (TNA) - Legal procedures in the case of the Thai engineer arrested on spy charges by the Cambodian authorities will be clarified Wednesday, Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Tuesday, confirming that the Thai charge d'affaires in Phnom Penh met the detained man for the first time in a Cambodian prison and helped him telephone his mother, telling her he is fine.

Siwarak Chothipong, 31, a Thai national employed at Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS), was arrested last week after being accused of giving information about ex-Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s flight schedule to a consular official at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

The Thai premier said that he has talked to Mr Siwarak’s mother who is now deeply concerned for the well-being of her son.

"She told me that she wants to see her son and urges for his release as soon as possible," said Mr Abhisit.

"What she requested was what the Thai government is trying do to right now."

Mr Abhisit said there is a chance that Mr Siwarak will be freed, but everything must be conducted within established legal processes. The Thai official there met Mr Siwarak Tuesday and gave him some necessary medicine.

The Thai government is conferring with Cambodian authorities to conform to the Cambodian legal process and is sending a lawyer to help Thai national there, while Cambodia is also following international practice.

Asked how Thailand will respond to Cambodian government claims regarding the Thai engineer’s actions, the Thai premier said that there is still no clarity as to what specific charges have been made. He said he hoped that legal procedures relating to the charges will be clarified on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Thai charge d'affaires in Phnom Penh was allowed to meet Mr Siwarak at a Cambodian prison on Tuesday for the first time since he was detained last week.

The Thai official helped Mr Siwarak telephone his mother, telling her not to worry and that the Cambodian authorities were giving him good care.

The diplomatic falling out between the Thai and Cambodian governments flared up after the Cambodia appointed Mr Thaksin as its economic adviser. The two kingdoms recalled their respective ambassadors in retaliatory actions.

Mr Thaksin visited Cambodia last week to lecture over 300 Cambodian businessmen and economists as his first assignment. The Thai government submitted an extradition request of the fugitive former premier, which was immediately rejected by its Cambodian counterpart. (TNA)

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