The Cambodian vice-consul met with Cambodian citizen accused of spying by Thailand

An official for the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the ministry sent the Cambodian vice-consul in Thailand to meet with a Cambodian citizen who was arrested by the Thai authority in Sisaket province.

Following the meeting, it was found that the man was a simple Cambodian citizen who, sometimes, visits Thailand to look for work only. He was not involved with secret spying for Cambodia as he was accused off by the Thai government.

In the afternoon of Saturday 11 June, Koy Kuong, spokesman for the ministry of Foreign Affairs, rejected all accusations [made by Thailand] and said that the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it categorically rejected [the accusations] because it believe that this is a dishonest invention made by the Thai authority and the Thai PM in order to confuse the public opinion by accusing Cambodia and by lying about the truth.

Koy Kuong added: "The government of Cambodia announced that the invention above is only a subterfuge to foment aggression on Cambodia in the future, and Cambodia regrets that the PM of a neighboring country resorts to adopt lying as his foreign political strategy. Cambodia clearly confirmed that it does not need to do anything to what the Thai PM lied as spying."

The immediate reaction by the Cambodian government took place after Thailand claimed that it arrested 3 men who acted as spies for Cambodia. The three men were arrested in Srol village, located in front of Preah Vihear temple, in the afternoon of 07 June.

On 10 June, the Bangkok Post quoted Thai Colonel Sompoj Khomprang, the police chief in Kantharalak district, Sisaket province, as saying that the Thai authority arrested 32-year-old Suchart Muhamad, a Thai citizen, 43-year-old Ung Kimtai, a Cambodian man, and 37-year-old Nguyen Tengyang, a Vietnamese citizen.

The Thai police indicated that the three were riding a pickup truck and they had maps on them. The three were approaching Thai army bases and large trenches built by the Thai government for use by Thai citizens to protect themselves during clashes. The three also were marking up these locations so they are suspected of involvement with spying for Cambodia.

Phay Siphan, mouthpiece of the Cambodian Council of Ministers, rejected this accusation, saying that, regarding spying activities, Cambodia never sent its agents to spy on Thailand: "The baseless accusation is only an accusation in order to plan for an attack on Cambodia only. The Cambodian individual who was accused of spying, has a proper passport. Thailand accused him of spying, and for this spying he was riding a car to enter inhabited areas, he had a passport and he even had maps."

On 20 June, the Cambodian ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a written statement categorically rejecting the [accusations made by the] Thai PM and the Thai authority, saying that this is an invention to lie to the public opinion in order to create confusion on Cambodia.

11 June 2011
By Hang Savyouth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khloy Ek

Read more: http://www.khmerarticle.com/2011/06/cambodian-vice-consul-met-with.html#ixzz1QAA6XJsR

Hun Sen to Abhisit: You are STUPID

As long as the court has not proceeded with its work, the person remains innocent. The court has not yet worked on the case – why have you said my people are guilty?” Hun Sen argued. “You are stupid, don’t do it.

Prime Minister Hun Sen lashed out yesterday at the Thai leadership over allegations that a Cambodian arrested in Thailand last week was a spy, saying their rhetoric had shown disregard for judicial procedure.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony of medical students in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen said Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his foreign Minister, Kasit Piromya, had repeated the claims against Ung Kimthai – a Cambodian national arrested last week on suspicion of espionage.

“As long as the court has not proceeded with its work, the person remains innocent. The court has not yet worked on the case – why have you said my people are guilty?” Hun Sen argued. “You are stupid, don’t do it.”

Ung Kimthai, 46, was apprehended by Thai authorities on Tuesday last week in Sisaket province, along with nationals from Vietnam and Thailand, on allegations of espionage.

Allegations have also been raised against the Thai national for drunk driving and Ung Kimthai for drug use.

Hun Sen also claimed yesterday that Kasit had expressed desire for a prisoner exchange that could allow the return of two Thai activists who are currently serving time at Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh for spying, crossing illegally into Cambodia and entering into a military zone.

The premier dismissed talks of such a deal. “There is not any exchange,” Hun Sen said.

“Let the court do its work first – do you respect the independence of the court? You abused the court procedure.”

Thai Patriot Network coordinator Veera Somkwamkid and his secretary, Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, were sentenced to eight and six years, respectively, in February.

Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said yesterday that any questions about a possible prisoner exchange “assume that the case reaches the court”.

He said Thai officials were concentrating on the preliminary stages of the legal process.

“After the case is concluded by the police, they will forward it to the state attorney and he will decide whether the case will be forwarded to the court,” Panitan said. “The legal process has to be done first.”

He mentioned, however, that there was a bilateral agreement in existance between Thailand and Cambodia governing prisoner exchanges in cases that are “similar”.

Panitan also said there had been an “ongoing process of exchanging some of the prisoners in the past year or two”, though he could not provide further detail.

Phnom Penh Post