Panich Vikitsreth escorted to court by Cambodian police.By Thanida Tansubhapol
Published: 31/12/2010
Bangkok Post
To view the photos of how deep the Thais have trespassed into Cambodian territory, click here.
Relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh are again being tested following the arrest on Wednesday by Cambodian troops of seven Thais including a government MP.
The seven were picked up on charges of trespassing on Cambodian territory while inspecting a disputed border site near Ban Nong Jarn in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo.
The group arrested included Democrat Party MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth; People's Alliance for Democracy co-leader Veera Somkwamkid; Samdin Lertbutr, a PAD activist; Tainae Mungmajon; and three others identified only as Muay, Uan and Sab.
Mr Panich said by telephone after his arrest on Wednesday that he was investigating a complaint by local people that Cambodian troops had encroached on their farmland for more than a month.
The issue became more complicated when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen denied a request from Thai authorities to release the group, saying they had trespassed on Cambodian territory and must stand trial.
Some people might wonder why the Cambodian leader was prepared to take such an aggressive stand just one week after he was so complimentary in talks with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at celebrations in Phnom Penh marking 60 years of the Thai-Cambodian relationship.
It is known that Hun Sen has the power to order the release of the captives if he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Thailand.
If Mr Panich had inspected the disputed area alone - in his role as a member of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) - things might have been different.
But he went there with Mr Veera and other PAD members who led protests against Cambodia over the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple, which is a flashpoint for differences between the two countries.
Mr Panich's role in this mission is not known. He might have tried to act as a mediator between the Thai government and the PAD, which has accused the Democrat Party-led coalition of surrendering Thai territory to Cambodia by supporting the passage through parliament of three memos on Thai-Cambodia border negotiations.
Hun Sen might believe Mr Panich, in his role representing the Democrat-led government, had colluded with the PAD to interfere in the border negotiations instead of leaving them to the JBC.
Hun Sen's apparent dislike of the PAD would seem to rule out the early release of Mr Panich.
Foreign Minister Kasit, who met urgently with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, yesterday, needs to reassure the Cambodian side that Mr Panich had nothing to do with the PAD and was not assigned by the government to join the activists at the border.
The border problem is a sensitive one. Thai legal experts accept that the area Mr Panich was visiting is one of 15 trouble spots.
It would be better for all concerned if the border problems were left to the JBC to handle. That would allow space for the two countries to work on fostering stronger bilateral relations.
Relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh are again being tested following the arrest on Wednesday by Cambodian troops of seven Thais including a government MP.
The seven were picked up on charges of trespassing on Cambodian territory while inspecting a disputed border site near Ban Nong Jarn in Khok Sung district of Sa Kaeo.
The group arrested included Democrat Party MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth; People's Alliance for Democracy co-leader Veera Somkwamkid; Samdin Lertbutr, a PAD activist; Tainae Mungmajon; and three others identified only as Muay, Uan and Sab.
Mr Panich said by telephone after his arrest on Wednesday that he was investigating a complaint by local people that Cambodian troops had encroached on their farmland for more than a month.
The issue became more complicated when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen denied a request from Thai authorities to release the group, saying they had trespassed on Cambodian territory and must stand trial.
Some people might wonder why the Cambodian leader was prepared to take such an aggressive stand just one week after he was so complimentary in talks with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya at celebrations in Phnom Penh marking 60 years of the Thai-Cambodian relationship.
It is known that Hun Sen has the power to order the release of the captives if he wanted to maintain a good relationship with Thailand.
If Mr Panich had inspected the disputed area alone - in his role as a member of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) - things might have been different.
But he went there with Mr Veera and other PAD members who led protests against Cambodia over the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple, which is a flashpoint for differences between the two countries.
Mr Panich's role in this mission is not known. He might have tried to act as a mediator between the Thai government and the PAD, which has accused the Democrat Party-led coalition of surrendering Thai territory to Cambodia by supporting the passage through parliament of three memos on Thai-Cambodia border negotiations.
Hun Sen might believe Mr Panich, in his role representing the Democrat-led government, had colluded with the PAD to interfere in the border negotiations instead of leaving them to the JBC.
Hun Sen's apparent dislike of the PAD would seem to rule out the early release of Mr Panich.
Foreign Minister Kasit, who met urgently with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, yesterday, needs to reassure the Cambodian side that Mr Panich had nothing to do with the PAD and was not assigned by the government to join the activists at the border.
The border problem is a sensitive one. Thai legal experts accept that the area Mr Panich was visiting is one of 15 trouble spots.
It would be better for all concerned if the border problems were left to the JBC to handle. That would allow space for the two countries to work on fostering stronger bilateral relations.
No comments:
Post a Comment