Published: 15/03/2012
Writer: Thanida Tansubhapol & Aekarach Sattaburuth
Bangkok Post
Thailand will discuss the possibility of exchanging prisoners with Cambodia to help bring two Thai activists back home, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.
The minister said the idea came after his discussion with foreign permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkaew to find ways to help Veera Somkwamkid, the coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon.
Both were arrested in late December 2010 on charges of espionage and illegal entry into Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have a prisoner exchange agreement and the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has been asked to work on the details with Cambodia, said the minister.
Such an exchange might not be on an equal basis. Thailand might offer to hand over four Cambodian prisoners to Phnom Penh in exchange for the two Thai activists being held in Prey Sar prison, said Mr Surapong.
Cambodia offered to exchange prisoners with Thailand during Mr Surapong's visit to Phnom Penh in December.
Meanwhile, the minister said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the military will meet the Thailand's foreign lawyer teams, who have been conducting the Preah Vihear temple case against Cambodia, on May 10.
Mr Surapong conceded, however, that while Thailand will try its best to fight the case, the best scenario for Thailand from the International Court of Justice's forthcoming verdict on the dispute could be maintaining the status quo.
The Foreign Ministry is preparing information for the public to enable it to understand the issue from the past to present.
Mr Surapong said Thailand was at a disadvantage in the case in which Cambodia has asked the court to interpret its 1962 ruling on the ownership of land near the Preah Vihear temple.
However, he said, Thailand would do its best to defend its interests.
He echoed the recent remarks of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that Thailand was at a disadvantage when Cambodia brought its complaint about the ownership of the area to the international court.
Thailand and Cambodia have been engaged in a dispute over the sovereignty of 4.6 sq km around the temple in Si Sa Ket province. The issue caused conflict between the countries when Cambodia applied to register the temple as a world heritage site with Unesco in 2009.
Meanwhile, the House committee on foreign affairs has decided to visit Cambodia instead of Myanmar this week following reports that Thaksin is expected to visit Cambodia too.
A source said most members of the committee who will visit Cambodia from tomorrow to Sunday were members of the Pheu Thai Party.
Sunai Jullpongsathon, chairman of the committee and a Pheu Thai MP, said it was cheaper to go to Cambodia instead of Myanmar and the panel also wanted to visit Mr Veera.
He denied that Pheu Thai MPs intended to meet Thaksin in Cambodia.
Writer: Thanida Tansubhapol & Aekarach Sattaburuth
Bangkok Post
Thailand will discuss the possibility of exchanging prisoners with Cambodia to help bring two Thai activists back home, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.
The minister said the idea came after his discussion with foreign permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkaew to find ways to help Veera Somkwamkid, the coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon.
Both were arrested in late December 2010 on charges of espionage and illegal entry into Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have a prisoner exchange agreement and the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has been asked to work on the details with Cambodia, said the minister.
Such an exchange might not be on an equal basis. Thailand might offer to hand over four Cambodian prisoners to Phnom Penh in exchange for the two Thai activists being held in Prey Sar prison, said Mr Surapong.
Cambodia offered to exchange prisoners with Thailand during Mr Surapong's visit to Phnom Penh in December.
Meanwhile, the minister said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the military will meet the Thailand's foreign lawyer teams, who have been conducting the Preah Vihear temple case against Cambodia, on May 10.
Mr Surapong conceded, however, that while Thailand will try its best to fight the case, the best scenario for Thailand from the International Court of Justice's forthcoming verdict on the dispute could be maintaining the status quo.
The Foreign Ministry is preparing information for the public to enable it to understand the issue from the past to present.
Mr Surapong said Thailand was at a disadvantage in the case in which Cambodia has asked the court to interpret its 1962 ruling on the ownership of land near the Preah Vihear temple.
However, he said, Thailand would do its best to defend its interests.
He echoed the recent remarks of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra that Thailand was at a disadvantage when Cambodia brought its complaint about the ownership of the area to the international court.
Thailand and Cambodia have been engaged in a dispute over the sovereignty of 4.6 sq km around the temple in Si Sa Ket province. The issue caused conflict between the countries when Cambodia applied to register the temple as a world heritage site with Unesco in 2009.
Meanwhile, the House committee on foreign affairs has decided to visit Cambodia instead of Myanmar this week following reports that Thaksin is expected to visit Cambodia too.
A source said most members of the committee who will visit Cambodia from tomorrow to Sunday were members of the Pheu Thai Party.
Sunai Jullpongsathon, chairman of the committee and a Pheu Thai MP, said it was cheaper to go to Cambodia instead of Myanmar and the panel also wanted to visit Mr Veera.
He denied that Pheu Thai MPs intended to meet Thaksin in Cambodia.
3 comments:
The Thai prisoners must serve at least 2/3 of terms, according to the Cambodian constitutions, period.
Yes prisoners exchange. All Khmers who were wrongfully accused in Siam thieves prison for this TWO DOGS.
If prisoner exchange is to take place, Thailand must free all Cambodian prisoners in exchange for Cambodia to free these two Thai prisoners.
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