Thai 'Yellow Shirt' activist Veera Somkwamkid (C) is escorted by Cambodian police at the Appeals Court in Phnom Penh
Cambodian court bails four Thais in border case
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Four Thais charged with illegally entering Cambodia were released on bail Tuesday but a fifth -- a high-profile nationalist activist -- was ordered to remain in detention, a prosecutor said.
The five were among seven Thais arrested in Cambodia on December 29 for illegal entry and trespassing on a military area, charges that carry a maximum combined sentence of 18 months in prison.
Two of the group -- including lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth of the ruling Democrat Party -- were already bailed last Thursday for health reasons.
Panich has said that he and his entourage crossed the disputed border by accident while inspecting contested territory.
Veera Somkwamkid -- a former leader of the "Yellow Shirt" movement -- faces an additional espionage charge for attempting to gather information that could affect national defence, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in jail.
"Only Veera Somkwamkid is kept in jail. The four others are released on bail," Ngeth Sarath, a prosecutor at the Appeal Court, told AFP after a closed-door hearing in which the five Thais appealed their earlier bail denial.
The four were released on bail of one million riel ($250) each.
It is believed that the six Thais who have been bailed will stay at the Thai embassy compound in Phnom Penh as they await trial, for which a date has yet to be set.
The neighbouring countries, long at odds over their border, have both said they would not let the border case strain diplomatic ties.
Thai officials have acknowledged that the seven were on Cambodian territory when arrested.
The Thailand-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
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Cambodia's appeal court release 4 Thais on bail
People's daily Online
January 18, 2011
Cambodia's Appeal Court decided Tuesday to bail four of five Thais at the request of their lawyers and the Thai embassy in Cambodia.
Pich Vicheka and Ros Aun, lawyers for the seven Thais who were arrested last month for alleged illegal entry into Cambodia, confirmed to the media that four of the five Thais who were rejected their bail by a lower court on Jan. 13, were bailed Tuesday.
The one remaining in custody is Veera Somkwamkid, who leads a People's Alliance of Democrats group called the Thailand Patriot Network who was facing an additional charge which was mentioned as his attempt in "collecting information which might damage to Cambodia's national security".
Of the seven Thais arrested, Cambodia's first court level known as Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided on Jan. 13 to release two on bail by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on the ground of their health condition.
The two released on bail were Thai Democratic Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth and Naruemol Chitwaratana.
The two were bailed three days after their lawyers submitted their bail request to the court for all the seven Thai nationals arrested and charged with illegal entry into Cambodia and unlawful entering into military zone.
The two on bail are currently staying inside the Thai embassy in Cambodia awaiting law procedure that might lead to their trial in later day yet specified.
The other four released on bail will also stay inside the Thai embassy, the sources said.
Cambodian troops detained them following their entry into Cambodian territory in Banteay Meanchey Province on Dec. 29.
Panich was claiming that he had traveled to the area to investigate residents' complaints that Cambodian troops were intruding into Thailand.
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Four Thais charged with illegally entering Cambodia were released on bail Tuesday but a fifth -- a high-profile nationalist activist -- was ordered to remain in detention, a prosecutor said.
The five were among seven Thais arrested in Cambodia on December 29 for illegal entry and trespassing on a military area, charges that carry a maximum combined sentence of 18 months in prison.
Two of the group -- including lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth of the ruling Democrat Party -- were already bailed last Thursday for health reasons.
Panich has said that he and his entourage crossed the disputed border by accident while inspecting contested territory.
Veera Somkwamkid -- a former leader of the "Yellow Shirt" movement -- faces an additional espionage charge for attempting to gather information that could affect national defence, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in jail.
"Only Veera Somkwamkid is kept in jail. The four others are released on bail," Ngeth Sarath, a prosecutor at the Appeal Court, told AFP after a closed-door hearing in which the five Thais appealed their earlier bail denial.
The four were released on bail of one million riel ($250) each.
It is believed that the six Thais who have been bailed will stay at the Thai embassy compound in Phnom Penh as they await trial, for which a date has yet to be set.
The neighbouring countries, long at odds over their border, have both said they would not let the border case strain diplomatic ties.
Thai officials have acknowledged that the seven were on Cambodian territory when arrested.
The Thailand-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.
----------------------------------
Cambodia's appeal court release 4 Thais on bail
People's daily Online
January 18, 2011
Cambodia's Appeal Court decided Tuesday to bail four of five Thais at the request of their lawyers and the Thai embassy in Cambodia.
Pich Vicheka and Ros Aun, lawyers for the seven Thais who were arrested last month for alleged illegal entry into Cambodia, confirmed to the media that four of the five Thais who were rejected their bail by a lower court on Jan. 13, were bailed Tuesday.
The one remaining in custody is Veera Somkwamkid, who leads a People's Alliance of Democrats group called the Thailand Patriot Network who was facing an additional charge which was mentioned as his attempt in "collecting information which might damage to Cambodia's national security".
Of the seven Thais arrested, Cambodia's first court level known as Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided on Jan. 13 to release two on bail by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on the ground of their health condition.
The two released on bail were Thai Democratic Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth and Naruemol Chitwaratana.
The two were bailed three days after their lawyers submitted their bail request to the court for all the seven Thai nationals arrested and charged with illegal entry into Cambodia and unlawful entering into military zone.
The two on bail are currently staying inside the Thai embassy in Cambodia awaiting law procedure that might lead to their trial in later day yet specified.
The other four released on bail will also stay inside the Thai embassy, the sources said.
Cambodian troops detained them following their entry into Cambodian territory in Banteay Meanchey Province on Dec. 29.
Panich was claiming that he had traveled to the area to investigate residents' complaints that Cambodian troops were intruding into Thailand.
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