Thai PM Abhisit Says Cambodian Spy Escapes

[webfact]

Thai PM says Cambodian spy escapes

BANGKOK, June 16 - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said he has received a report that a Cambodian spy has escaped and that the incident confirmed that Thailand did not fabricate the spy case.

Three suspects on spying charges --Thai, Cambodian, and Vietnamese nationals-- were arrested in Si Sa Ket's Kantaralak district on suspicion of spying on Thai military facilities.

Mr Abhisit said he could confirm that the one who has escaped was a Cambodian military officer but his rank remains unknown.

He also denied Cambodia's accusation that Thailand fabricated the spy case, saying the country did not arrest innocent people as the investigation found evidence that implicated them.

Thailand will in consequence present the information to the international community, the prime minister said.

Suchart Muhammad, a 32-year-old Thai, Ung Kimtai, a 43-year-old Cambodian and Nguyen Tengyang, 37, a Vietnamese, were arrested ten days ago at a Thai border village in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket for alleged spying on Thai military facilities and bunkers built to shelter Thai villagers in the event of cross-border attacks or shelling.

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry said in its statement released Friday that it "categorically rejects this deceitful fabrication by the Thai authorities and prime minister, intending to mislead the public and malign Cambodia", adding it had no need to spy on Thailand.

"The Royal Government of Cambodia wishes to assert that the above fabrication is only a pretext to justify future aggression against Cambodia," the Agence France Press news agency quoted the statement as saying. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-06-16

[webfact]

PM Orders Investigation into Fugitive Cambodian Spy

The acting prime minister has ordered law enforcement authorities to speed up the investigation into the fugitive Cambodian spy and denied any problem in the Thai military's operation along the border.

Acting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reported that he has been informed that a Cambodian colonel, suspected of being a spy, has managed to escape from detention, saying that he has asked officials involved to speed up the hunt for the suspect.

The suspect fled with coordinates of the Thai military presence along the border. An arrest warrant has already been issued for him.

Thai authorities still have a Vietnamese and Thai national under custody in the case.

Abhisit denied problems with the Thai armed forces' operation along the Thai-Cambodian border or that Thailand is falsely accusing Cambodia in this espionage case.

The premier believes the incident will benefit Thailand in the upcoming World Heritage Committee meeting. He saud that he has told the prime minister of Bahrain, who is the current president of the World Heritage Committee, that Thailand would like the committee to postpone the examination of the management plan of the land surrounding the disputed Preah Vihear Temple, proposed by Phnom Penh.

Abhisit said that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti has been assigned to oversee the issue and represent Thailand at the convention. The prime minister refused to speculate whether the International Court of Justice will issue a verdict seek by Cambodia for an injunction for the removal of Thai troops from the area surrounding the temple around the same time of convention.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-16

[Orac]

So it is a Cambodian colonel of unknown rank???

[webfact]

Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Cambodian Spy

The governor of Si Sa Ket Province has reported that the court has issued an arrest warrant for a fugitive Cambodian spy, who is a colonel-rank officer.

During today's press briefing, Si Sa Ket Governor Somsak Suwansujarit claimed that Suchart Muhammad, one of the three men arrested for allegedly spying for Cambodia in Kantharalak District of Si Sa Ket Province has confessed to his crime.

According to Suchart, he chauffeured the other spies along the Thai-Cambodian border to search for the location of Thai armed forces and civilian bomb shelters. Suchart said that they spent between five to ten minutes on each location to collect data.

Suchart has also confessed that they were headed by a 48 year-old colonel-rank Cambodian officer named Wichai or Ya Pao, who remains on the run along with the data collected and other documents. The governor also announced that the provincial court has already issued an arrest warrant for Wichai.

However, the investigation has indicated that the Cambodian colonel has already left Thailand and returned to Cambodia through the Aranyaprathet Border Pass in Sa Kaeo Province since June 9.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand is asking the Thai authorities to release Nguyen Tengyang, a Vietnamese national and one of the suspects. The Vietnamese authority said that it will provide assistance to its citizen in accordance to the Thai law and hope that Ngyuen will be fairly treated.

At the same time, the police reported that all of the three suspects have already been charged and informed of their legal rights. They are entitled to attorneys and visits by their families.

-- Tan Network 2011-06-16

[Thai at Heart]

I can just see the steam coming out of Sondhi's ears.

[Payboy]

Slippery as eels - those Cambodians.

[random]

Well since the Cambodian got away i don't foresee any exchange for Veera and his PA

[Orac]

This story seems very confusing. Either there was only one Cambodian who was an army colonel who, after been arrested and put in detention ten days ago, then escaped and managed to take with him the data collected and other documents - ie. the evidence - or, there were two cambodians, one who was never caught (the colonel) and a second one who escaped after being arrested.

[hardy1943]

This story seems very confusing. Either there was only one Cambodian who was an army colonel who, after been arrested and put in detention ten days ago, then escaped and managed to take with him the data collected and other documents - ie. the evidence - or, there were two cambodians, one who was never caught (the colonel) and a second one who escaped after being arrested.

This should give the military a reason to buy another 10 broken down submarines from the Russians. Don't you think?

[tragickingdom]

Great spin. Lot's of others looked at it this way. It was not a spy, but Abhisit and his puppet master Suthep did not wanted to lose face. So they opened the door and let them out. Now they can claim whatever they like.

Why should someone want to spy in a desolate Izan area, which is neglected for generations? Just to please the Democrat Party electorate and ultra right wing people maybe?

[tragickingdom]

This story seems very confusing. Either there was only one Cambodian who was an army colonel who, after been arrested and put in detention ten days ago, then escaped and managed to take with him the data collected and other documents - ie. the evidence - or, there were two cambodians, one who was never caught (the colonel) and a second one who escaped after being arrested.

This should give the military a reason to buy another 10 broken down submarines from the Russians. Don't you think?

A Yellow submarine? I assume that Prayuth prefers a new Zeppelin so they can see his spies coming in Phnom Penh, that will the Khmer teach a lesson.

[themockrat]

If you can't provide proof that you arrested someone, the obvious thing to do is say he escaped

[OZEMADE]

Slippery as eels - those Cambodians.

Yeah, he must have worked out how to escape or he got the drum from the other guys that were arrested for trying to take tortoises out of the country and then escaped. it's easy ain't it.:jap:

[janverbeem]

We didn't make up the case of an arrested Cambodian soldier,in fact we don't even have a Cambodian.

[samurai]

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Thursday said he has received a report that a Cambodian spy has escaped and that the incident confirmed that Thailand did not fabricate the spy case.

I will miss Abhisit, MPhil Oxf, and his sharp intellect.

[steveyinasia]

How convenient....escaped so now no real proof he was in Thailand.

[ratanafarmer]

So it is a Cambodian colonel of unknown rank???

[Just1Voice]

Hollywood couldn't make up schitz this funny!

:cheesy:

[MaiChai]

So if he escape, how did he take all the data he collected with him? You assume this was confiscated to be used as evidence when the case comes to court? If it was secret military data, you would think the military would take charge of it?

[Credo]

This situation beggars belief. Where were they detained, in a cardboard box?

Were they in the custody of the military or the police?

[creck]

If you can't provide proof that you arrested someone, the obvious thing to do is say he escaped

exactly my thought

[anterian]

Thailand is no longer the land of smiles, it is the land of a good laugh.

[random]

This situation beggars belief. Where were they detained, in a cardboard box?

Were they in the custody of the military or the police?

There is another possibility that is quite sinister, the cambodian could have been killed during interrogation, so it would be better to say he escaped, whats the betting he doesn't turn up in cambodia?

[geriatrickid]

Thailand , oh Thailand if only you could understand how you are perceived when stories like this occur.

[unanimosity]

So if he escape, how did he take all the data he collected with him? You assume this was confiscated to be used as evidence when the case comes to court? If it was secret military data, you would think the military would take charge of it?

Larry, Curley, Moe, Stan, Oliver, Abbott & Costello, taking care of biznus.

[unanimosity]

Thailand is no longer the land of smiles, it is the land of a good laugh.

[OZEMADE]

random

Is this another random conspiracy to murder theory. Im sorry, I couldn't help myself. I'll give myself an uppercut.

[givenall]

Slippery as eels - those Cambodians.

Amazing Thailand, who the hell they can escape unless theywere allowed to either payoff or on purpose

Also shows the incompetence of the officials,

[RKASA]

Are they saying they have the three still, but never got number four the one that got away i.e. escaped back to Cambodia or did they mean one of the three got away.

The Thai confessed - well don't they always - a deal you can't refuse.

Please don't tell me a 43 or 48 year old Cambodia Colonel that tested pos. for meth when arrested and has already met with console in lock up was allowed to run off with the documents - I can't believe that.

Something is lost here in translation.

Who What Where How Why

[Just1Voice]

This situation beggars belief. Where were they detained, in a cardboard box?

Were they in the custody of the military or the police?

There is another possibility that is quite sinister, the cambodian could have been killed during interrogation, so it would be better to say he escaped, whats the betting he doesn't turn up in cambodia?

Hummm, I think Random might be on to something there. Sounds a lot more plausible than the story in the papers.