Cambodian Court To Hear Bail Plea By Five Thais

[webfact]

THAI-KHMER TIES

Court hears bail plea today

By THE NATION

The Cambodian Appeals Court will open today to hear a new request for bail by five Thais held for illegal entry, Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said yesterday.

The ministry hoped the five people would be released once the court considered their case, he said.

Seven Thais including Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth and yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid were arrested near Sa Kaew's Ban Nong Chan while inspecting a disputed border area on December 29.

They were charged with illegal entry into the country and a military zone.

They could face 18 months in jail if convicted.

Veera, who was briefly held in the same area in August, and aide Ratree Pipatanapaiboon were later charged with espionage for collecting information that could undermine Cambodia's security. They could be sentenced to up 10 years jail.

Panich and Narumol Chitwara-tana were granted bail last week on health grounds, according to the Cambodian Foreign Ministry. It also said the court was still working on the other five detainees' cases. Thani said the Cambodian court was expected to rule on the illegal entry charge this week, but he still had no idea when the decision on Veera and Ratree's additional charge would be made.

A group of Thai lawyers led by Karun Sai-gnam, who has close connections with the yellow shirts, wants to participate in the case and has asked the Foreign Ministry to help them gain access to the Cambodian court.

The Foreign Ministry could not facilitate such a request, as foreign lawyers could not do legal work for Thai defendants in a Cambodian court, the spokesman said. The Thai defendants had the right to change lawyers if they wanted, but had to use Cambodian lawyers, he said.

If the Thai lawyers wanted to help the five, they should contact the Cambodian defence lawyers directly, as the ministry could not help, he said.

The Thai Embassy has engaged two Cambodian lawyers to represent the seven Thais.

The Cambodian issue has become a political headache for Abhisit Vejjajiva's government as Veera's group, calling themselves the Thai Patriots Network, has been staging a protest in front of Government House.

They allege that Abhisit's government is weak and lacks the ability to free the Thais, who they believe were taken captive on Thai territory where a Cambodian community has been living for more than 30 years.

The protesters have blocked the road to Government House and refused to reopen it.

They have called for Abhisit, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and many officials at the Foreign Ministry step down for "failing" to help the seven Thais.

The group would also lodge a petition today with the Royal Household Bureau, asking His Majesty the King to help get the seven Thais released from the Cambodian prison, leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong said.

-- The Nation 2011-01-18

[dominique355]

What is the worst thing these "Patriots" could face? Well, if the Cambodian Courts would see through their scheme, slap their face and send these unruly children back home with a warning that next time it will be 6 hits with the cane.

After all, these Yellow Shirts were just envious of all the headlines and publicity the Red Shirts got latey. So to put themselves back in the news, they had to come up with something, no matter how stupid.

[webfact]

Reports indicate that the Cambodian court has released 4 Thais on bail except for Veera /TAN_Network

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Cambodian court permits bail requests by four Thais detainees for trespassing, excepting Veera Somkwamkid /MCOT

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BORDER DISPUTES

Cambodian court frees on bail more Thais

By The Nation

Veera's bail request denied

A Cambodian Court on Tuesday freed on bail four of five remaining Thai detainees who are charged with trespassing into Cambodian soil late last year.

Court denied bail request for Veera Somkwamkit, leader of Thai Patriots Network, who is also accused of spying.

The four were Samdin Lertbutr, Tainae Mungmajon, Kitponthorn Chusnasevee and Ratree Pitpattanapaibul. Ratree is also accused of spying.

The decision left Veera who was charged with trespassing last year remain in jail.

Veera told reporters before the trial that the accusations were groundless as he was on the Thai soil when he was arrested on December 29 last year.

Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth and Naruemon Jitrawarattana were the first two Thais granted the bail. The conditions were that they remained in Cambodia and were ready to report to authorities when summoned.

-- The Nation 2011-01-18

[Credo]

I am glad to hear the remaining people, with the exception of Veera, got out on bail.  Sounds like a wise move by the Cambodian court.  

The methodical and careful consideration of these cases will ultimately play well for both Cambodia and Thailand, IMO.  Abhisit may come out of this looking a lot less bruised than some expected.  

[webfact]

Deputy PM Suthep: Veera Somkwamkid rejected bail by Cambodian Court could be released by next month; problem will not escalate /MCOT

[geovalin]

Verra wants to be a martyr. He'll be a martyr.

"Veera told reporters before the trial that the accusations were groundless as he was on the Thai soil when he was arrested on December 29 last year."

Right or wrong,Khmer people consider this sentence as an insult and a provocation. It's courageous but kinda stupid to provoke a judge unless you want to create troubles between the 2 countries.

[webfact]

Cambodian court bails four Thais in border case

PHNOM PENH, January 18, 2011 (AFP) - Four Thais charged with illegally entering Cambodia were released on bail Tuesday but a fifth -- a high-profile nationalist activist -- was ordered to remain in detention, a prosecutor said.

The five were among seven Thais arrested in Cambodia on December 29 for illegal entry and trespassing on a military area, charges that carry a maximum combined sentence of 18 months in prison.

Two of the group -- including lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth of the ruling Democrat Party -- were already bailed last Thursday for health reasons.

Panich has said that he and his entourage crossed the disputed border by accident while inspecting contested territory.

Veera Somkwamkid -- a former leader of the "Yellow Shirt" movement -- faces an additional espionage charge for attempting to gather information that could affect national defence, an offence punishable by up to 10 years in jail.

"Only Veera Somkwamkid is kept in jail. The four others are released on bail," Ngeth Sarath, a prosecutor at the Appeal Court, told AFP after a closed-door hearing in which the five Thais appealed their earlier bail denial.

The four were released on bail of one million riel ($250) each.

It is believed that the six Thais who have been bailed will stay at the Thai embassy compound in Phnom Penh as they await trial, for which a date has yet to be set.

The neighbouring countries, long at odds over their border, have both said they would not let the border case strain diplomatic ties.

Thai officials have acknowledged that the seven were on Cambodian territory when arrested.

The Thailand-Cambodia border has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-01-18

[webfact]

MFA Says Appeal for Veera's Release to be Decided on in 15 Days

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will once again appeal the Cambodian court's decision not to release Veera Somkwamkid on bail. Officials say a decision will be made within 15 days.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-18

[asiawatcher]

MFA Says Appeal for Veera's Release to be Decided on in 15 Days

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will once again appeal the Cambodian court's decision not to release Veera Somkwamkid on bail. Officials say a decision will be made within 15 days.

-- Tan Network 2011-01-18

The arrogance Veera displays lends itself that he should by all the authority the Cambodians can muster, receive the maximum sentence - forget the bail!

[mkawish]

Verra wants to be a martyr. He'll be a martyr.

"Veera told reporters before the trial that the accusations were groundless as he was on the Thai soil when he was arrested on December 29 last year."

Right or wrong,Khmer people consider this sentence as an insult and a provocation. It's courageous but kinda stupid to provoke a judge unless you want to create troubles between the 2 countries.

geovalin

If you follow the Thai news, you would have come to the conclusion that

the 7 were arrested on Thai 'warranty deeded' farm land or

for a better definition, the 7 were kidnapped from Thai farm land by Camb soldiers....

With the already admitted errors by the deputy minister--SuThep, the defense minister and the foreign affairs minister....

We'll see what would PM Apisit do at the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Jan 20?

It is intriguing--another amazing Thailand stuff....

[hanuman1]

Verra wants to be a martyr. He'll be a martyr.

"Veera told reporters before the trial that the accusations were groundless as he was on the Thai soil when he was arrested on December 29 last year."

Right or wrong,Khmer people consider this sentence as an insult and a provocation. It's courageous but kinda stupid to provoke a judge unless you want to create troubles between the 2 countries.

geovalin

If you follow the Thai news, you would have come to the conclusion that

the 7 were arrested on Thai 'warranty deeded' farm land or

for a better definition, the 7 were kidnapped from Thai farm land by Camb soldiers....

With the already admitted errors by the deputy minister--SuThep, the defense minister and the foreign affairs minister....

We'll see what would PM Apisit do at the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Jan 20?

It is intriguing--another amazing Thailand stuff....

So why didn't Thai soldiers intervene in their arrest? Why didn't they have an escort of Thai border guards? What you say is so far-fetched even the Thai government disagrees with you. Do you know something the Thai government doesn't? I'm sure there must be a hotline you could use to help them out....

[TAWP]

The fact is that the area is contested and that several Thai farmers live there, with papers, and have complained that they some time back found themselves in declared Cambodia territory. That was part of the reason they traveled to the area and was looking around while individuals made lots of pointing gestures (if you saw the video clips).

[mkawish]

Verra wants to be a martyr. He'll be a martyr.

"Veera told reporters before the trial that the accusations were groundless as he was on the Thai soil when he was arrested on December 29 last year."

Right or wrong,Khmer people consider this sentence as an insult and a provocation. It's courageous but kinda stupid to provoke a judge unless you want to create troubles between the 2 countries.

geovalin

If you follow the Thai news, you would have come to the conclusion that

the 7 were arrested on Thai 'warranty deeded' farm land or

for a better definition, the 7 were kidnapped from Thai farm land by Camb soldiers....

With the already admitted errors by the deputy minister--SuThep, the defense minister and the foreign affairs minister....

We'll see what would PM Apisit do at the cabinet meeting on Thursday, Jan 20?

It is intriguing--another amazing Thailand stuff....

So why didn't Thai soldiers intervene in their arrest? Why didn't they have an escort of Thai border guards? What you say is so far-fetched even the Thai government disagrees with you. Do you know something the Thai government doesn't? I'm sure there must be a hotline you could use to help them out....

I love challenging inquiry like yours.

I would seriously doubt that you listen, watch or follow Thai newscast, otherwise you won't post questions such as you did.

The deputy minister, SuThep, promised news men and women on national telecast in the beginning of last December that during the new year he was going to take along all news person who cared enough to follow him to the area of PraVeeHarn temple, to show everyone in Thailand that the area around PraVeeHarn temple still belongs to Thailand and is jealously guarded by Thai army personnel....

Came the new year, the best the deputy minster, SuThep, could do was to visit SeeSaKaet.... with bunch of news person in tow....

It appears that almost every one in Thailand already knew that the Cambodians have already encroached upon Thai territory and took over area around that temple, with the exception of Apisit, his deputy ministers, his foreign affair minister, his defense minister and his own national security minister.... who were in the dream land of their own.... that the Thai soldiers were still there guarding Thailand border territory....

hanuman1.... out of all the farang in Thailand.... you are the only one that I would expect to know about all these even in greater details....

come on hanuman1, as your name implies, you ought to take a loafing flight into the air and visit those Thai issued 'warranty deeded' farm land which the Cambodian refugees have since around 1980 been granted refugee status to temporarily occupied those areas by the request and insistence of UNESCO and the International Red Cross to the Thai govt ....

One of those fateful refugee settlement encampments was also graciously visited by Her Royal Majesty and the Princess, who thereafter proclaimed to their Thai subjects that Thailand must do more for those Cambodian refugees being temporarily resettled in the Thai border territorial....

I just wonder ok, hanuman1, with all due respect and all, just how old were you then.... around 1980....?

Never mind.... let's fast forward to today....

Do you think former, awaiting resettlement to US, Australia and other Euro countries, Cambodian refugees, their children and the current Cambodian govt led by HuSan....

have any God given or human rights to claim any of the soil they were once graciously allowed to settle out of the kindness of UNESCO, International Red Cross and the then Thai govt under Field Marshall Sarid ThaNaRudd (?).... as their own in 2010.... ?

hanuman1, even though I am not a human-monkey who could take to the air as you were capable of, I among many others did work among the refugees then....

Do you and some other farang still insist that the 7 were arrested on Cambodian territory after learning of these sequential human tragedies of the worst kind....?

It is very sad that all these Thai deputy ministers did not learn nor remember (or perhaps chose not to remember) what actually happened back in the '80 and the history of the resettlement of these Cambodian refugees.... now encroaching upon Thai 'Warranty Deeded' farm lands and claiming in 2010, rather shamelessly that they have the rights to the land their fore parents once were resettled there as refugees? ....

Another interesting development is to wait and see if the various current movement by the zealous private Thai groups to:

1--disquiet the former Cambodian refugees' claim to Thai border and

2--dislodge Apisit and his ill intended deputy ministers who have been waiting to give away Thai border to the former Cambodian refugees and their leader HuSan....

could be successful in the coming weeks and months.... :jap:

What do you all think.... successful or not....?

Edited January 19, 2011 by mkawish