Bangkok Post
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy (pictured) was
denied entry into Thailand on Tuesday and reportedly told he would not
be allowed back until after the Cambodian election in late July.
Rainsy had been set to launch his new book "We Didn't Start the
Fire: My Struggle for Democracy in Cambodia" at the Foreign
Correspondents Club of Thailand Wednesday night, but said from Singapore
yesterday that he had been turned away by immigration, the Phnom Penh Post reported.
"They told me that I would be welcome back after the election," he said, declining to comment further because he was busy.
The FCCT stressed on its website that it was merely hosting, not sponsoring, Rainsy's event.
The club was given to understand that the refusal was in line with
the Thai government's policy of not allowing foreign political activity
on Thai soil, FCCT board member George McLeod said Tuesday.
When asked if the Cambodian embassy had pushed Thai immigration
authorities to deny Rainsy entry, Cambodian ambassador You Ay laughed
and hung up on a reporter.
Thai ambassador to Cambodia Touchayoot Pakdi said he knew nothing
about the incident, while officials at the Thai Ministry of Foreign
Affairs declined to comment.
Despite the apparent slap in the face, Rainsy's Cambodia National
Rescue Party remained quiet about the incident, with spokesman Yim
Sovann saying he had no information.
Rainsy, who lives in self-imposed exile to avoid charges some argue
are politically motivated, is not the first foreign visitor to be barred
entry into Thailand under politically sensitive circumstances, though
he has also previously travelled to the country without incident.
In September 2010, another event at the FCCT by the NGOs
International Federation for Human Rights and Vietnam Committee on Human
Rights was cancelled after the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs revoked
the visas of attendees.
Political analyst Kem Ley said factors that could have influenced
Thailand's decision included the close relationship between Prime
Minister Hun Sen and former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
border tensions and recent attempts by the government to link Rainsy's
party to terrorist movements.
"Maybe Thais are also afraid of that particular issue. Thais, they
don't want to be the [location] for political movements," he said.
3 comments:
Thai officials have done for Thailand interest only . They will
attack Hun Sen if they have to do for Thailand .
Thailand already picked the winner for the upcoming
election .
ប្រទេសខ្មែរវិនាសអន្តរាយដោយសារខ្មែរៈ
ខ្មែរមិនដែលស្រឡាញ់ជាតិដោយស្មោះត្រង់ពិតប្រាកដ
ពលរដ្ធខ្មែរខ្វៈការពិចារណា រូបរួមគ្នា ខ្វៈការចេះដឹង ខ្ខ្វៈការសាមគ្គីភាព ខ្មែរខ្វៈការឯកភាពជាតិដើម្បីក៏សាងប្រទេស
មូលហេតុនេះដោសារអ្វី?
មកពីមេដឹកនាំខ្មែរកន្លងមក មិនដែលស្រឡាញ់ជាតិ ស្រឡាញ់ពលរដធពិតប្រាកដ បោករាស្ត្រ
កុហក់រាស្ត្រ ដើម្បីមហិច្ឆតាខ្លួន អំណាចខ្លួន
គិតតែពីផលប្រយោជន៏ផ្ទាល់ខ្លួនក្រោយពេលបានអំណាចហើយ។
មិនដាស្តេចឬត្រកូលរាស្ត្រទេឳោយតែបានអំណាចហើយ ជាន់កររាស្ត្រ បង្ករពុករលួយប្រមូលដុល្លា
ដាក់ធានាគារ ធ្វើឳយរាស្ត្រខ្មែរអស់ជំនឿរទាំងស្រុង។
អ្នកដែលស្នេហាជាតិ ត្រូវគេសម្លាប់
អ្នកជិៈជាន់រាស្ត្របំផ្លាញជាតិមានទ្រព្យធនហូរហៀរ
អ្នកកររហាមនៅតែក្ររហាមដដែល។
ខ្មែរដូចជាដីខ្សាច់រសាត់តាមខ្យល់ហើរគ្រប់ទិសទី
He should return to Cambodia.
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