Thailand frees 16 Cambodian traders to ease protest

BANGKOK: -- Thai border authorities on Tuesday freed 16 Cambodian traders who were earlier arrested on charge of smuggling counterfeit brand name merchandises into the Thai border last week.

The arrest of the Cambodian smugglers triggered protest by hundreds of their colleagues who blockaded Aranyaprathet border and the Thai-Cambodian Friendship Bridge and later forced Thai authorities to close the border temporarily last Friday.

The relates was witnessed by Sakaeo governor Pakathorn Thienchai.

The Thai authorities released all these smugglers after considering that they are just daily-waged workers who have no intention to smuggle counterfeit goods into Thailand, and because the case could be settled through compromises.

The Thai authorities also did not want the incident to explode out of control which could affect the relation of both countries.

(Photo : ThaiPBS file)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailand-frees-16-cambodian-traders-ease-protest/


-- Thai PBS 2014-08-19

I thought protest is still illegal in Thailand.

Why not just arrest the hundreds.

If they come in thousands, do the same.

Fine them 500 Baht / day, and kick them out for illegal entry without a visa.

Smugglers are bad people who do not obey the law of Thailand.

Why are the border markets so expensive ?

Did the protesters block the bridge on the Cambodian Side?

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I thought protest is still illegal in Thailand.

Why not just arrest the hundreds.

If they come in thousands, do the same.

Fine them 500 Baht / day, and kick them out for illegal entry without a visa.

Smugglers are bad people who do not obey the law of Thailand.

I agree, if we are talking about the people at the top of the chain, either buying or selling this stuff. But these people are just the poor bastards carrying it across the border for a handful of baht, they have no idea what is real of fake, someone is paying them to put it in their little cart and take it though customs. It would have been more interesting to know who paid them and who in Thailand were they delivering to, but I guess that's too much like hard work for the police.

I am shocked absolutely flabbergasted to hear that there is counterfeit goods in Thailand!!!

next you will be telling me that there are woman of ill repute who sell theirbodies for money!!