CrazyExpat Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 All Thai staff banned from air traffic office * Published: 19/11/2009 at 12:00 AM * Newspaper section: News Cambodia intensified the diplomatic spat with Thailand yesterday when authorities in Phnom Penh expelled all Thai officials from their offices at Cambodia Air Traffic Services. The order by the Cambodian government came after Phnom Penh filed charges yesterday against Sivarak Chutipong, a Thai engineer working for CATS. "Cambodia has charged him with stealing classified information affecting national security," said Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, the secretary to the foreign minister. The Cambodian government ordered Thai nationals working for CATS to immediately leave the company and prohibited them from re-entering until the legal proceedings against Mr Sivarak are completed, Samart Corporation Plc president Watchai Wilailuck said. CATS, a fully owned subsidiary of Bangkok-based Samart, has been granted a 32-year air traffic control concession. The firm employs nine Thai officials at the Cambodian airport, all of them either in management or senior engineering positions. About 200 other staff members are Cambodians. Mr Watchai was told Cambodian authorities would send their own people to operate the company. "We need to follow Cambodia's order and are asking the Thai government to help negotiate with the Cambodian government to solve the problem because it is affecting a private business which has nothing to do with the state dispute," Mr Watchai said. Thailand and Cambodia are signatories to the Investment Protection Agreement to protect each other's private businesses. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the Foreign Ministry has been ordered to look into the problem of CATS. Mr Sivarak was arrested on Nov 12 for allegedly obtaining confidential information about the flight details of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and supplying it to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. The Cambodian government also expelled the embassy's first secretary, Kamrob Palawatwichai and Thailand retaliated with the same measure. The 31-year-old detainee and the Thai Foreign Ministry have denied the accusations. Deputy ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said the ministry was helping to find Mr Sivarak a lawyer. Cambodian law requires his legal representative to be a Cambodian national. "The Thai side still believes in Cambodia's judicial process and hopes Phnom Penh will be fair to Mr Sivarak," Mr Thani said. Thaksin wrote in his Twitter page yesterday he had contacted Cambodian leaders to find ways to help the Thai engineer being detained at Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh. "I've been in touch with them. They said they would investigate first and will treat him fairly," he said in his posting. Mr Abhisit refused to comment on the assistance by Thaksin to help secure the release of the engineer and said the government's actions had been helping to improve the situation for Mr Sivarak. But Mr Sivarak's mother, Simarak na Nakhon Phanom, thanked Thaksin for his efforts to help secure the release of her son. Deputy director-general of the Consular Affairs Department Madurapochana Ittarong was helping Mrs Simarak and Mr Sivarak's younger sister to obtain access to him in Phnom Penh. Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh also offered to help in talks with the Cambodian government. Mr Thani said Gen Chavalit's offer was welcome. The latest conflict between the Thai and Cambodian governments started last month when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made Thaksin an economic adviser to himself and to his government. Thailand was offended when Hun Sen said Thaksin's corruption case was politically motivated and refused to hand him over to Bangkok. The fugitive prime minister left the Cambodian capital for Dubai on Saturday. Puea Thai MP Jatuporn Prompan yesterday claimed the Cambodian government had an audio clip of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ordering Mr Kamrob to seek the flight schedule of the ousted prime minister. But Mr Thani denied the claim. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/27651/cambodia-strains-ties-even-more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted November 19, 2009 Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Does anyone not believe this was all a set up orchestrated by Toxin? "Arrest a Thai engineer, I will negotiate to get him released and I will become a hero to Thai people." MMMMMMM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyExpat Posted November 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2009 Does anyone not believe this was all a set up orchestrated by Toxin? "Arrest a Thai engineer, I will negotiate to get him released and I will become a hero to Thai people." MMMMMMM LOL That would be a smart move on his part wouldn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted November 20, 2009 Report Share Posted November 20, 2009 Does anyone not believe this was all a set up orchestrated by Toxin? "Arrest a Thai engineer, I will negotiate to get him released and I will become a hero to Thai people." MMMMMMM Sorry, I'm one that doesn't believe that. Sounds like an interesting theory but I don't have any factual basis to actually buy into the concept. The current dispute still centers around the failure of Thailand to fairly recognize the World Court ruling of 1962. Thailand participated in that case for 3 years, soundly lost the decision, and a bit of nationalistic pride by the yellow shirts and the current government (perhaps designed to divert attention from what they stand for and/or what they haven't accomplished) is a rather poor attempt to help "forget" they lost the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted November 21, 2009 Report Share Posted November 21, 2009 Does anyone not believe this was all a set up orchestrated by Toxin? "Arrest a Thai engineer, I will negotiate to get him released and I will become a hero to Thai people." MMMMMMM Sounds like a conspiracy theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted November 22, 2009 Report Share Posted November 22, 2009 More like manipulation of the masses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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