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| Poipet border crossing |
Closing border crossing 'would hurt Cambodia' [KI-Media Note: It will also affect Thai export!]
13/01/2011
Bangkok Post
A splinter group of the yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy is threatening to close a border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo to press for the release of seven Thais in a Cambodian jail.
The group's target is the permanent Aranyaprathet-Poipet checkpoint in Aranyaprathet district through which goods worth almost 30 billion baht pass each year.
Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a core member of the Thai Patriots Network, yesterday said the group needs to strike where it hurts Cambodia the most.
He said the closure would prevent Thai gamblers from crossing the border to visit casinos in Poipet and stem illicit activities along the border including contraband, drugs and illegal labour.
The town of Poipet houses a number of casinos, a prime source of income for Cambodia, and many Thais visit it.
"When the checkpoint is closed, Cambodia will release the seven Thais. It wouldn't trade its source of income [for the detainees]," he said.
Mr Chaiwat said the group will press for the release of the seven Thais even though two of them, Veera Somkwamkid of the network and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, face additional charges of espionage.
Mr Chaiwat said Cambodia was trying the seven Thai nationals illegally and their detention was considered as kidnapping under the Geneva Convention.
He said the convention, which had been endorsed by both countries, forbids the arrest and trial of civilians in a disputed area.
The seven were arrested on Dec29 when they entered a disputed area near Nong Jan village in Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district next to Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.
The network will today rally in front of Government House to force the government to take action, he said.
The group is critical of the Democrat-led administration's handling of the matter and believes it has done very little to help the detained Thais.
Mr Chaiwat said the group will today submit a petition to the United Nations and International Red Cross Society asking both agencies to monitor the case.
Mr Veera, meanwhile, has refused to give a statement to the Cambodian municipal court unless he can do so through an interpreter provided by the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, said Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.
Mr Veera and Ms Ratree were taken to the court yesterday for a hearing on the espionage charges against them.
Mr Chavanond said Mr Veera demanded an interpreter from the Thai embassy instead of a court interpreter which is normally provided.
He said the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh is prepared to submit the request but the decision rests with the Cambodian court.
Mr Chavanond said Thai authorities are working on bail requests and a response is expected in a few days.
He denied the government had urged the seven Thais to plead guilty to the trespassing charges and seek a royal pardon afterwards.
Asked about a prisoner exchange programme, Mr Chavanond said it was too early to consider it.
Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry has denied that its request for a budget of 517 million baht has anything to do with the current tense Thai-Cambodian situation.
The cabinet on Tuesday approved the minister's request amid questions over the objective of the budget.
Defence spokesman Thanatip Sawangsaeng said while the budget is earmarked for use in "unexpected circumstances" in the eastern region, it is not for the current situation.
"The budget is to support operations of troops who have been deployed since last year.
"The submission to the cabinet simply coincides with the border tension. It was proposed several times," he said.
On the planned rally in Aranyaprathet, he said the provincial governor and authorities would have to work closely to keep the situation under control.
A government source said the arrests of the seven Thais have not affected bilateral ties so far.
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