By The Nation
Published on March 8, 2011
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban hopes Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will be sympathetic to jailed Thai nationalist Veera Somkwamkid, who is in poor health in Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh, by allowing him to be freed on a royal pardon.
“I believe that Samdech Hun Sen would understand his condition and would seek ways to help,” Suthep told reporters, using the Cambodian leader’s honorific.
Veera and his aide Ratree Pipattanapaiboon were arrested on December 29 near Sa Kaew’s Ban Nong Chan while inspecting a disputed area on the border with five other activists including Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth.
The five charged with trespassing have been freed as the Cambodian court suspended their imprisonment.
Veera and Ratree were convicted of espionage and other offences on February 1 and sentenced to eight and six years’ jail respectively.
Veera’s brother Preecha Somkwamkid, who visited Veera at the prison on Friday, said his brother’s health was critical.
The Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh has requested that a doctor check on Veera or take him for medical treatment outside the prison.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said the embassy was awaiting a reply from Cambodian prison authorities.
The embassy was also preparing to help Veera and Ratree submit a request for a royal pardon, he said. “The royal pardon depends mostly on their decision but the embassy will help them fully.”
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said it was very difficult to predict whether the two activists could obtain a royal pardon from the Cambodian king.
“We will try our best but it is very difficult to say whether they can get it soon,” he said.
Veera and Ratree got into trouble when relations between Thailand and Cambodia soured. The two neighbours are at loggerheads over a long-time boundary conflict related to the area adjacent to the ancient Preah Vihear Temple.
6 comments:
No compassion for this arrogant thieves. We need to take a tougher stance against the Siem. Otherwise, they are not going to respect our laws and the problems will be repeated.
Hey Suthep! What about Khmers in your jail in Thailand right now? You Thai bastard put khmer in shackle, chains them together like smoke-fish? Stop play soft and pretending asking for mercy...man! I urge PM Hun Sen not get fool by this soft talking...
Hundreds of Khmers are rotting in Thai jails. If we release Veera and Ratree we must exchange them with Khmer prisoners. Release those Khmer prisoners and Cambodia will release these two Thais.
Stupid Thailand playing soft word toward Hun Sen, i hope he don't release this bastard, feed his ass to croc...
don't fall for one sweet word of this siem. he has called you names for thousands of times. just don't fall for it. take a tough stance.
This Thai nationalist did not respect our territorial integrity. He entered our territorial with his ill-will. If we don't give him lesson, our country will surely appare weak. This can urge the repeated cases te happen. To conclude, deserves to be jailed. There should be no forgiveness royal pardon and sympathy from fellow Cambodian.
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