via CAAI
BANGKOK, Jan 14 -- The Cambodian court on Friday rejected bail bids for five Thais detained in Phnom Penh after granting bail for two of them Thursday, including Democrat lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth, MP for Bangkok, according to Foreign Ministry Information Department of Information Director General Thani Thongphakdi.
Mr Thani said the ministry was informed by the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh that the court has denied bail bids without giving any reason and the legal team for the Thai detainees immediately resubmitted the request and the result is expected to be known by next week as court normally takes five days for consideration.
The bail request had earlier submitted to the court on Monday.
Mr Thani also said that Cambodia's Interior Ministry had agreed in principle to allow an adviser to the Thai Patriots Network, former senator Karun Sai-ngam, and a legal team from the network, to visit the five detained Thais at Phnom Penh's Prey Sar Prison.
The time and date of the visit would be set later, he said.
The network team and the legal team have not met as the Cambodian lawyers were not ready to meet, Mr Thani said, adding that if the network legal team wanted to join the Cambodian lawyers to help the Thais, they must receive approval from the Cambodian Lawyers Council.
The director general said Mr Panich and Ms Naruemol Chitwaratana of the People’s Network Against Corruption and Santi Asoke networks who were granted bail Thursday were still staying at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh but if the they wanted to stay elsewhere it was possible as the court only barred them from leaving Cambodia.
The seven were arrested Dec 29 by the Cambodian authorities for illegal entry into Banteay Meanchey province.
The detainees face two initial charges -- illegal entry into the Cambodian kingdom, with possible punishment of three to six months jail and deportation, and also trespass on a Cambodian military zone, punishable by three to six months jail and Bt7,500-15,000 in fines.
Veera Somkwamkid, leader of the Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, however, face additional spying charges on top of illegal entry and trespassing on a Cambodian military area, which has been already heard.
The government prosecutor alleged that they had gathered security information that could pose a severe threat to Cambodian security.
In a related development, Chaiwat Sinsuwong, leader of the Thailand Patriots Network, said on Friday that the group decided not to rally at Thai-Cambodian border in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province as earlier planned, explaining that the network still waits and sees reaction of local residents whether or not they will cooperate with the group in investigating and inspecting illegal business activities on the border.
He said that local residents had already provided information on illegal business to the network during the previous meeting in the area.
Meanwhile, Mr Chaiwat also said that a legal team from the Thailand Patriots Network led by Karun met with Mr Veera.
The group also threatened to mobilise supporters at the Ministry of Defence, aiming to oust Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan whom they accused of acknowledging that the seven were on Cambodian territory when arrested. (MCOT online news)
No comments:
Post a Comment