Panich (white shirt) and another man looking at the party sign of the ruling Cambodian People's Party in Chok Chey village.Foreign Ministry plans bail bid in court today
Writer: Pradit Ruangdit
Published: 10/01/2011
Bangkok Post
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday continued to insist the seven Thais held in Phnom Penh on charges of trespassing on Cambodian soil "meant no harm", as the Foreign Ministry prepares to seek bail for them today.
Mr Abhisit said during his weekly television broadcast that the group had not intentionally trespassed on Cambodian territory.
They had had no intention to commit any offence nor to steal anything from Cambodia.
The seven detained Thais include Panich Vikitsreth, a Democrat MP for Bangkok, Veera Somkwamkid, coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, a People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) splinter group; and representatives of the Santi Asoke sect, the PAD's key ally.
They were arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec29 near Nong Jan village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.
A Phnom Penh court charged them with illegal entry and trespass into a Cambodian military area.
The prime minister said that at the time of their arrest, the seven were looking into complaints lodged by Thai citizens living along the Thai-Cambodian border.
The residents said they could not make use of their land within the disputed border area despite holding land title deeds to prove they owned it.
It was unfortunate that they strayed away from the areas they had intended to inspect before they were detained by Cambodian troops, he said.
The government was duty-bound to secure their release as soon as possible and it will also ensure they are well treated while in detention.
Mr Abhisit said the government would do all it could to ensure the incident does not affect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"I'd like all fellow Thais to give moral support to the seven Thais who had meant no harm, and to support efforts to bring them home safely."
The director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department, Thani Thongpakdi, said the ministry had asked Karun Sai-ngam and Natthaporn Toprayoon, representatives of the Thai Patriots Network, to meet two lawyers to discuss ways to provide legal assistance to the seven at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. The lawyers have been hired to represent the detainees.
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Foreign Minister, said the ministry would seek bail for the seven today.
The PAD has called on the government to issue an ultimatum to Cambodia to free the seven Thais unconditionally.
The PAD insisted the group had not trespassed on Cambodian territory, but were on Thai soil when they inspected the border area. It called on Mr Abhisit to reject any guilty verdict by the Phnom Penh court.
The alliance also slammed Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon for accusing the group of trespassing Cambodian soil.
Meanwhile, 27 villagers from Ban Non Mak Mun in Sa Kaeo's Khok Sung district yesterday appeared at Government House to hand a petition to the prime minister asking him to address the alleged encroachment on their farmland by Cambodian troops.
Group leader Pornpol Akeatthaporn said the villagers had brought land title deeds as evidence to back their calls for government help. He said about 2,000 rai of farmland belonging to the villagers had been encroached upon by Cambodian soldiers since 1975.
Mr Abhisit said during his weekly television broadcast that the group had not intentionally trespassed on Cambodian territory.
They had had no intention to commit any offence nor to steal anything from Cambodia.
The seven detained Thais include Panich Vikitsreth, a Democrat MP for Bangkok, Veera Somkwamkid, coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, a People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) splinter group; and representatives of the Santi Asoke sect, the PAD's key ally.
They were arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec29 near Nong Jan village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.
A Phnom Penh court charged them with illegal entry and trespass into a Cambodian military area.
The prime minister said that at the time of their arrest, the seven were looking into complaints lodged by Thai citizens living along the Thai-Cambodian border.
The residents said they could not make use of their land within the disputed border area despite holding land title deeds to prove they owned it.
It was unfortunate that they strayed away from the areas they had intended to inspect before they were detained by Cambodian troops, he said.
The government was duty-bound to secure their release as soon as possible and it will also ensure they are well treated while in detention.
Mr Abhisit said the government would do all it could to ensure the incident does not affect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"I'd like all fellow Thais to give moral support to the seven Thais who had meant no harm, and to support efforts to bring them home safely."
The director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department, Thani Thongpakdi, said the ministry had asked Karun Sai-ngam and Natthaporn Toprayoon, representatives of the Thai Patriots Network, to meet two lawyers to discuss ways to provide legal assistance to the seven at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. The lawyers have been hired to represent the detainees.
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Foreign Minister, said the ministry would seek bail for the seven today.
The PAD has called on the government to issue an ultimatum to Cambodia to free the seven Thais unconditionally.
The PAD insisted the group had not trespassed on Cambodian territory, but were on Thai soil when they inspected the border area. It called on Mr Abhisit to reject any guilty verdict by the Phnom Penh court.
The alliance also slammed Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon for accusing the group of trespassing Cambodian soil.
Meanwhile, 27 villagers from Ban Non Mak Mun in Sa Kaeo's Khok Sung district yesterday appeared at Government House to hand a petition to the prime minister asking him to address the alleged encroachment on their farmland by Cambodian troops.
Group leader Pornpol Akeatthaporn said the villagers had brought land title deeds as evidence to back their calls for government help. He said about 2,000 rai of farmland belonging to the villagers had been encroached upon by Cambodian soldiers since 1975.
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