7 Thais held by Cambodia for trespassing

Panich: Democrat MP was ‘inspecting land’

Veera Somkwamkid is a PAD co-leader

Hun Sen says police had 'a right to arrest'

30/12/2010
Bangkok Post Reporters and AFP

Seven Thais, including a Democrat Party MP and members of the People's Alliance for Democracy, are facing prosecution on charges of trespassing on Cambodian territory.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday he had ordered legal action be taken against the seven.

They will be taken to Phnom Penh to face trial.

The Thais were arrested about 10am yesterday near Ban Nong Jarn in Sa Kaeo's Khok Sung district while inspecting a disputed border area.

"They were measuring disputed land inside Cambodian territory, so Cambodia has the right to arrest them," Hun Sen said at a government meeting on rural development.

The seven would be sent to court today and held at Prey Sar prison.

Hun Sen said he hoped the incident would not affect relations between the two countries.

"I hope Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will understand the Cambodian judicial system," he said, adding the arrests were not an act of revenge against Thailand.

Those arrested are Democrat Party MP for Bangkok Panich Vikitsreth; Veera Somkwamkid, a PAD co-leader; Samdin Lertbutr, a PAD activist; Tainai Mungmajon; and three others identified only as Muay, Uan and Sab.

Mr Panich insisted by phone about four hours after being arrested that he and the six others were on Thai soil when they were detained by Cambodian troops.

He said his group had just arrived in the village when they were arrested. The MP had received complaints from local people that Cambodian troops had encroached on their farmland for more than a month and stopped them from entering the area.

Villagers insist they have land title deeds to prove their ownership and they pay land taxes, Mr Panich said.

He said his delegation was making its way to the disputed land when eight or nine Cambodian soldiers carrying weapons detained them and seized their belongings, including communication devices and cameras.

Mr Panich, a member of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission, said the troops returned the belongings after they were contacted by Thai authorities.

He said he wanted to inspect the demarcation work at a disputed border area near the village.

The commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, Maj Gen Walit Rojanapakdi, and the chief of the 12th Border Police Patrol, Pol Col Nat Saeng-udom, tried to negotiate with Cambodian authorities to secure the release of the Thais, but the talks failed.

Mr Abhisit was also reported to have contacted Hun Sen, but the Cambodian prime minister turned down the request for the Thais to be returned home immediately.

A border source said the 1st Army commander had now ordered the temporary closure of the border at Ban Nong Jarn.

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh said the Thais could not be released as they had violated Cambodian law by trespassing on Cambodian territory.

"The detainees have to follow the judicial process and stand trial. We can't make exceptions," Gen Tea Banh said.

He said it was impossible for Cambodian authorities to cross the border and arrest Thais on Thai territory