Chavalit not going to Cambodia

PUEA THAI MPS TO BRING BACK ENGINEER AFTER HIS RELEASE

13/12/2009
Bangkok Post

Puea Thai chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh will not fly to Cambodia to bring back a Thai engineer who will be released from jail tomorrow after being granted a royal pardon in a spying case, an aide said yesterday.

But the opposition Puea Thai Party's plan to ask its MPs to accompany Simarak na Nakhon Phanom and her 31-year-old son Sivarak Chutipong, an engineer who worked for the Cambodian Air Traffic Services (CATS), home tomorrow remains in place.

Piratch Sawamiwas, a close aide of Gen Chavalit, said the general has decided not to travel with the Puea Thai MPs to Cambodia despite the fact that he had played a key role in his release.

"He doesn't want to face more criticism that the engineer's detention and release was a set-up. He just wants to remain behind the scenes," said Lt Gen Piratch.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to join the event in Cambodia.

Thaksin announced on his Twitter page yesterday that he would be making a week-long trip to the region to visit the leaders of three Asian countries.

However, the countries were not named.

"I have asked for permission to travel to exchange views with three leaders in Asia and I will try to stay connected with you via Twitter, SMS or online radio programmes," Thaksin wrote without offering further details.

When Thaksin's close aide and legal adviser Noppadon Pattama was reached for confirmation of the Cambodian trip, he denied having any knowledge about it.

An official in Cambodia's Poipet township told reporters yesterday that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had instructed authorities in Poipet and the border province of Banteay Meanchey to prepare to welcome the Puea Thai MPs flying in tomorrow.

However, the official could not confirm if Thaksin would fly into Cambodia on that day.

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni granted a pardon to Sivarak on Friday, three days after he was sentenced to seven years in prison for spying.

Sivarak was found guilty by a Cambodian court of stealing the flight plan of Thaksin ahead of his visit to Cambodia last month as Cambodia's economic adviser.

Sivarak was arrested by Cambodian authorities on Nov 12, two days after Thaksin arrived in Phnom Penh by private jet and one day after the first secretary at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, Kamrob Palawatwichai, was expelled for asking Sivarak to divulge the information.

The case soured relations between the two countries.

Sivarak will be released from jail following a pardon which was granted on humanitarian grounds.

Cambodia says that Thaksin played a key role in the release by personally phoning Hun Sen and enlisting his help in seeking a royal pardon.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday offered no comment on the matter.