Court Accepts Charges Against Former Foreign Minister Noppadon In Phra Viharn Trial

[webfact]

Court accepts charges against former foreign minister in Phra Viharn trial
By Digital Media



BANGKOK, April 26 – A Thai court today accepted charges against former foreign minister Noppadol Pattama over Cambodia’s unilateral registration of the Phra Viharn (Preah Vihear) temple ruins as a World Heritage site.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) filed the lawsuit with the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders, charging him with breaching Section 157 of the Criminal Code by signing the Thai-Cambodian joint communiqué without seeking approval from Parliament as required by law.

The communiqué, endorsed on June 18, 2008, advocated Cambodia’s application to unilaterally register the ancient Hindu temple on the border of the two countries as a World Heritage site.

There were protests from some quarters of Thai society that the application should be made by both countries, and not by Cambodia alone, as adjacent areas to which Thailand also claims ownership were part of the temple site.

According to the NACC, Mr Noppadol discussed the joint communiqué with Foreign Ministry officials after which Mr Virachai Plasai, then director general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department, objected.

Mr Noppadol asked the cabinet to remove Mr Virachai from his post despite a protest by the permanent secretary for foreign affairs, the NACC said.

Defendant Noppadol claimed that he could not work with Mr Virachai and visited Phnom Penh to meet with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on Phra Viharn and border demarcation, and to work on the joint communique.

The NACC said the defendant secretly proposed the issue to the National Security Council with a hidden motivation, and later raised it in the Cabinet without distributing documents in advance to cabinet members.

Mr Noppadol merely showed a map on the screen and it took the cabinet only 15 minutes to consider the issue, the NACC said, adding that the Thai-Cambodian joint statement was an agreement – an agreement to which must be under Section 190 of the Constitution and must be approved by Parliament, after a public hearing is required.


-- TNA 2013-04-26

[JetsetBkk]

Isn't there anything more urgent that these people can be sorting out?

[chainarong]

Isn't there anything more urgent that these people can be sorting out?

Yes, Yingluck is right onto it as we speak.

Edited April 26, 2013 by chainarong

[skorchio]

I thought to myself when this news broke a year (or more) ago, this cretin is up to something. He is Thaksins right hand man and anything he does is for the benefit of one person only. I still dont know what the motive was, but it is something underhand for sure. It is a Thaksin stunt to perhaps cause an unnecessary problem which maybe he can later resolve. This man's actions are exclusively and only for his own benefit ....

[Robby nz]

Is it Noppadol as in the story or is it Noppadon as in the headline, whatever.

That would be the same one who is now Thaksins legal advisor, right?

Seems they cant blame this one on the Dems.

[oldsailor35]

Isn't there anything more urgent that these people can be sorting out?

YES! how about all the corrupt pockets that were lined with Bht from bomb detectors. This should be sorted asap ! to hell with the generals its a decision for the government to make.

[bigbamboo]

The biter bit........!

[rametindallas]

"and it took the cabinet only 15 minutes to consider the issue," Why of course it was decided during a Skype call that it was a 'personal' favor for the Man in Dubai's good friend Hun Sen and the cabinet should approve it immediately.

[Locationthailand]

With Thaksin closely allied to Hun Sen and his unguarded visits after being ousted, you can bet this guy is just another expendable pawn in the mix and there would be some serious underhanded activities between the two parties, no doubt involving a bit of personal wealth accumulation.

[Thai at Heart]

With Thaksin closely allied to Hun Sen and his unguarded visits after being ousted, you can bet this guy is just another expendable pawn in the mix and there would be some serious underhanded activities between the two parties, no doubt involving a bit of personal wealth accumulation.

What I understand of him is that he crawled from the middle of nowhere to a government sponsored scholarship to Oxford. Ain't socialism crap.

[rubl]

<[>Oxford? OXFORD? That's a dump. Ask Gen Melchett, or k. Abhisit, or our jayboy. Even Hull is better :-)

[thaicbr]

With Thaksin closely allied to Hun Sen and his unguarded visits after being ousted, you can bet this guy is just another expendable pawn in the mix and there would be some serious underhanded activities between the two parties, no doubt involving a bit of personal wealth accumulation.

What I understand of him is that he crawled from the middle of nowhere to a government sponsored scholarship to Oxford. Ain't socialism crap.

Who went to Oxford... Hun Sen?????

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[bigbamboo]

<[>Oxford? OXFORD? That's a dump. Ask Gen Melchett, or k. Abhisit, or our jayboy. Even Hull is better :-)

<[>Oxford? OXFORD? That's a dump. Ask Gen Melchett, or k. Abhisit, or our jayboy. Even Hull is better :-)

No, it's merely inferior to Cambridge!

[NongKhaiKid]

Is it Noppadol as in the story or is it Noppadon as in the headline, whatever.

That would be the same one who is now Thaksins legal advisor, right?

Seems they cant blame this one on the Dems.

A court may have accepted the charge but this man is very well connected so will he actually ever go to trial far less be convicted ?

[ballpoint]

<[>Oxford? OXFORD? That's a dump. Ask Gen Melchett, or k. Abhisit, or our jayboy. Even Hull is better :-)

><[>Oxford? OXFORD? That's a dump. Ask Gen Melchett, or k. Abhisit, or our jayboy. Even Hull is better :-)

No, it's merely inferior to Cambridge!

And to its Thai equivalent, Khwaiford. It is superior to Cambodridge though.

[Arkady]

This is a nonsensical case but, if it has to happen at all, it couldn't happen to a nicer or more deserving person.

[AleG]

An here I was wondering why they wanted to change article 190 of the constitution...

[FarangTalk]

They just won't let this temple thing go.

It is going to be interesting if the court rules in Cambodia's favour over the adjacent land.

Could get ugly.