Veera Somkwamkid (2nd right) and Panich Vikitsreth (4th right) escorted to court in prison uniform.Monsters and critics
Jan 6, 2011
Phnom Penh (DPA)- A Thai legislator and six compatriots appeared in a Cambodian court for questioning Thursday after they were arrested for allegedly trespassing on Cambodian territory last week.
Panich Vikitsreth, a member of Thailand's ruling Democrat Party, was among the group detained in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province across the border from Thailand's Sa Kaeo province.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has charged the seven with illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base, charges that carry a combined maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
Dressed in blue prison clothes, the accused said nothing as they were led into the courtroom for Thursday's hearing, which was closed to reporters. No date has been set for their trial.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Panich's case is 'separate from our diplomatic relations.' He declined to speculate on whether the group would be granted bail or whether Prime Minister Hun Sen would request a pardon for them following a conviction.
'Right now, it's in the hands of the court, so we cannot say further from that,' he said.
During the hearing, Panich told the court he had 'unintentionally' crossed into Cambodia, his Cambodian lawyer, Ros Aun, said.
'The purpose of his visit to the border was to address the complaints of [Thai] villagers,' Ros Aun said, adding that the villagers had alleged that a border marker had been moved by Cambodians to encroach on Thai territory.
But in a video of the expedition that surfaced in the Thai press this week, Panich is allegedly seen talking on the phone to his secretary to request that an aide to Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva be informed that the group had crossed into Cambodia.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said Abhisit 'was aware of Mr Panich's visit to the border area but was not informed of the specific location by Mr Panich prior to his arrest.' Abhisit instructed Panich to investigate the grievances of Thai villagers near the border but did not instruct him to cross into Cambodia, Panitan added.
'The government continues to attempt to negotiate for the release of these individuals as is the normal practice adopted by both Thailand and Cambodia for border-related issues,' the statement read.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been tense for more than two years with sporadic clashes between troops over disputed territory surrounding the Preah Vihear temple, 200 kilometres east of Banteay Meanchey.
The 11th-century Hindu structure, known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Phra Viharn in Thailand, belongs to Cambodia under a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice, but sovereignty over 4.6 square kilometres of adjacent land is still in dispute.
The two countries are currently demarcating their border although talks have been stalled pending a repeatedly delayed vote in the Thai parliament to approve the latest round of negotiations.
Panich Vikitsreth, a member of Thailand's ruling Democrat Party, was among the group detained in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province across the border from Thailand's Sa Kaeo province.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has charged the seven with illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military base, charges that carry a combined maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
Dressed in blue prison clothes, the accused said nothing as they were led into the courtroom for Thursday's hearing, which was closed to reporters. No date has been set for their trial.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Panich's case is 'separate from our diplomatic relations.' He declined to speculate on whether the group would be granted bail or whether Prime Minister Hun Sen would request a pardon for them following a conviction.
'Right now, it's in the hands of the court, so we cannot say further from that,' he said.
During the hearing, Panich told the court he had 'unintentionally' crossed into Cambodia, his Cambodian lawyer, Ros Aun, said.
'The purpose of his visit to the border was to address the complaints of [Thai] villagers,' Ros Aun said, adding that the villagers had alleged that a border marker had been moved by Cambodians to encroach on Thai territory.
But in a video of the expedition that surfaced in the Thai press this week, Panich is allegedly seen talking on the phone to his secretary to request that an aide to Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva be informed that the group had crossed into Cambodia.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said Abhisit 'was aware of Mr Panich's visit to the border area but was not informed of the specific location by Mr Panich prior to his arrest.' Abhisit instructed Panich to investigate the grievances of Thai villagers near the border but did not instruct him to cross into Cambodia, Panitan added.
'The government continues to attempt to negotiate for the release of these individuals as is the normal practice adopted by both Thailand and Cambodia for border-related issues,' the statement read.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been tense for more than two years with sporadic clashes between troops over disputed territory surrounding the Preah Vihear temple, 200 kilometres east of Banteay Meanchey.
The 11th-century Hindu structure, known as Preah Vihear in Cambodia and Phra Viharn in Thailand, belongs to Cambodia under a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice, but sovereignty over 4.6 square kilometres of adjacent land is still in dispute.
The two countries are currently demarcating their border although talks have been stalled pending a repeatedly delayed vote in the Thai parliament to approve the latest round of negotiations.
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