PHNOM PENH (The Cambodia Herald) -- Opposition
leader, Sam Rainsy, has accused the Cambodian government of pressuring
Thailand into denying his entry into the country even though both the
Cambodian and Thai authorities deny any pressure.
Sam Rainsy believes the Prime Minister Hun Sen is losing ground ahead of the July elections and wants to hinder the opposition.
He was scheduled to launch his autobiography " We Didn't Start the Fire: My Struggle for Democracy in Cambodia" Wednesday night at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT).
He arrived in Bangkok Tuesday but immigration authorities at the airport stopped him from going any further and told him he could not enter until after July, when the national election in Cambodia would be over.
He then proceeded to go to Singapore and spoke to the FCCT via Skype. He accused the Cambodian government of interfering or pressuring Thailand to keep him out. He said the ban showed the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen was growing afraid of the opposition.
"I am Mr. Hun Sen's only credible challenger and he wants to win an election without any challenger. It is like a boxer on [in] the ring. He wants to box alone, whereas I should be boxing against him. And, now he is even more afraid that I come too close to the ring," he said.
Sam Rainsy, who lives in France, was sentenced in 2009 to 12 years imprisonment for uprooting border posts in Svay Rieng province, forgery and disinformation, but he believes the charges against him were politically motivated.
He was banned from the July election because he was convicted of criminal charges and could not be a candidate, but his the National Rescue Party (NRP) will still take part.
Sam Rainsy said, in recent months he was welcomed by leaders in Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines but closer relations between Thailand and Cambodia, he says, seems to have created what he calls a "special problem."
Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Rainsy's planned book launch, and meeting with journalists, just ahead of the election, were unacceptable political activities.
Ministry spokesman Manasvi Srisodapol said the actions were deemed detrimental to a friendly country and might affect Thailand's interests.
"The Thai authorities concerned deemed that such a visit with such activity has a political motive against a neighboring country and is timed especially during an approaching election in that neighboring country. Accordingly, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested immigration department to ban Mr. Sam Rainsy's entry into Thailand," said Srisodapol.
Sam Rainsy believes the Prime Minister Hun Sen is losing ground ahead of the July elections and wants to hinder the opposition.
He was scheduled to launch his autobiography " We Didn't Start the Fire: My Struggle for Democracy in Cambodia" Wednesday night at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT).
He arrived in Bangkok Tuesday but immigration authorities at the airport stopped him from going any further and told him he could not enter until after July, when the national election in Cambodia would be over.
He then proceeded to go to Singapore and spoke to the FCCT via Skype. He accused the Cambodian government of interfering or pressuring Thailand to keep him out. He said the ban showed the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen was growing afraid of the opposition.
"I am Mr. Hun Sen's only credible challenger and he wants to win an election without any challenger. It is like a boxer on [in] the ring. He wants to box alone, whereas I should be boxing against him. And, now he is even more afraid that I come too close to the ring," he said.
Sam Rainsy, who lives in France, was sentenced in 2009 to 12 years imprisonment for uprooting border posts in Svay Rieng province, forgery and disinformation, but he believes the charges against him were politically motivated.
He was banned from the July election because he was convicted of criminal charges and could not be a candidate, but his the National Rescue Party (NRP) will still take part.
Sam Rainsy said, in recent months he was welcomed by leaders in Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines but closer relations between Thailand and Cambodia, he says, seems to have created what he calls a "special problem."
Thailand's Foreign Ministry said Rainsy's planned book launch, and meeting with journalists, just ahead of the election, were unacceptable political activities.
Ministry spokesman Manasvi Srisodapol said the actions were deemed detrimental to a friendly country and might affect Thailand's interests.
"The Thai authorities concerned deemed that such a visit with such activity has a political motive against a neighboring country and is timed especially during an approaching election in that neighboring country. Accordingly, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested immigration department to ban Mr. Sam Rainsy's entry into Thailand," said Srisodapol.
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