Thai Foreign Minister stands by his man over arrest of engineer

BANGKOK, Dec 16 (TNA) – Thailand’s Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya issued a statement Wednesday on the arrest of a Thai engineer by the Cambodian authorities, saying that Thai diplomat Kamrob Palawatwichai is not required to explain himself as he did his duty.

Mr Kasit said he was glad that Siwarak Chutipong has been freed and arrived safely in Bangkok. The ministry of foreign affairs had offered help to him and his family, according to the statement.

The chairmen of the National Human Rights Committee and the Lawyers Council of Thailand and representatives from Human Rights Watch were invited to discuss the issue but the ministry must respect the decision of the family to seek assistance from the opposition Puea Thai party.

Mr Kasit confirmed that the ministry has never claimed that Mr Siwarak and his family set up the whole situation but it views that he is a Thai national, having trouble overseas.

Speaking about a claim by some groups that Mr Kamrob, the former first secretary of Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh was ordered to collect intelligence information from Mr Siwarak, Mr Kasit insisted that the ministry has never directed such an order to Kamrob as charged.

However, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, convicted of misusing his authority, travelled to Cambodia as a fugitive wanted by the Thai authorities. Touching on calls for Mr Kamrob to clarify the issue, he said it is not the practice of a government official who does his duty.

Mr Siwarak is the Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS) employee who was arrested by Cambodian police on November 12 on charges of espionage--passing to Mr Kamrop information on the flight details of Mr Thaksin during his first visit to Cambodia after being appointed economic adviser to the Cambodian government.

A Cambodian Court sentenced Mr Siwarak to seven years jail and fined him Bt100,000 (US$3,000) but he was released following the Cambodian king's royal pardon. Before his release, Mrs Simarak and the fugitive Thai premier visited Mr Siwarak at Preysar Prison Sunday evening.

On Monday morning Mr Siwarak, his mother, and Puea Thai MPs met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen who gave him the official letter of royal pardon before leaving to Thailand in the afternoon.