Thursday, 16 December 2010

PM assigns Foreign Ministry to help three Thais jailed in Cambodia


BANGKOK, Dec 15 - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday he has assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help three Thai foragers who were sentenced to 18 months jail term in Cambodia for illegal entry into Cambodian territory.

Mr Abhisit said the trio had been prosecuted in Cambodia in accordance with that country's legal process and the government is trying find legal remedies to help them.

"I have asked Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya about this and it was affirmed that the ministry is currently following the situation. We're studying how we can benefit from the agreements made between Thailand and Cambodia regarding this issue," said Mr Abhisit.

A collaboration has been made on the matter at a local level, the prime minister added.

The trio -- Sanong Wongcharoen, Ling Pongphet, and Laen Sapsri from the northeastern province of Surin's Sangkha district -- were arrested in August by Cambodian border patrol police, after they strayed across the border, and were charged by Cambodia with spying while hunting and foraging for food in the forest along the border.

Senior Thai officials had earlier said the three men were not spies and their arrest had nothing to do with the border dispute between the two nations. (MCOT online news)

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