Veera Somkwamkid (front) and Panich Vikitsreth (4th from left) escorted to court in prison uniform.Jan 5, 2011
DPA
Phnom Penh - A Thai legislator and six other Thais arrested last week for allegedly trespassing on Cambodian territory appeared in court for questioning on Thursday in a case that has raised tensions in bilateral relations.
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, Panich and his compatriots said nothing as they were led into the courtroom for Thursday morning's hearing, which was closed to reporters. No date has yet been set for their trial.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Thursday that 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.
The group reportedly visited the border area to check on reports that Cambodian soldiers had moved into villages claimed by Thailand. Although supporters have claimed the group was arrested on Thai soil, Thai officials have acknowledged that the arrests took place in Cambodia.
In a video of the expedition that surfaced in the Thai press this week, Panich is allegedly seen talking on the phone 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 Preah Vihear, 200 kilometres east of Banteay Meanchey.
The 11th-century Hindu temple, 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.
Phnom Penh - A Thai legislator and six other Thais arrested last week for allegedly trespassing on Cambodian territory appeared in court for questioning on Thursday in a case that has raised tensions in bilateral relations.
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, Panich and his compatriots said nothing as they were led into the courtroom for Thursday morning's hearing, which was closed to reporters. No date has yet been set for their trial.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said Thursday that 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.
The group reportedly visited the border area to check on reports that Cambodian soldiers had moved into villages claimed by Thailand. Although supporters have claimed the group was arrested on Thai soil, Thai officials have acknowledged that the arrests took place in Cambodia.
In a video of the expedition that surfaced in the Thai press this week, Panich is allegedly seen talking on the phone 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 Preah Vihear, 200 kilometres east of Banteay Meanchey.
The 11th-century Hindu temple, 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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