Mentors Posted November 13, 2009 Report Share Posted November 13, 2009 A Thai national has been arrested and accused of espionage for allegedly stealing the flight schedule of fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, amid an ongoing row between Thailand and Cambodia over Thaksin’s appointment as government economics adviser, Phnom Penh police and court officials said. Sok Phal, director of the Ministry of Interior’s Central Security Department, said 31-year-old Siwarak Chotipong, an employee at Cambodia Air Traffic Services Co., was arrested by officers from the Central Security Department at his office on Wednesday. “He stole the special flight schedule of Mr. Thaksin and handed it to the first secretary of Thai Embassy,†Sok Phal said. “It is not his duty to do so. What he did was beyond his responsibility. He must face legal action.†On Thursday, the Cambodian government expelled the first secretary at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, with Thailand responding in kind. Cambodia Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong would not confirm whether the expulsion was related to the airport case. “It’s a case of the court. It’s the court’s affair,†he said, adding that the Thai first secretary had “performed his role contrary to his position.†Sok Phal, however, said the first secretary was directly involved and had been expelled as a result. "He ordered the man to copy the schedule of Thaksin's return flight, and that's why he was expelled," Sok Phal said. In Bangkok, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya forcefully rejected the espionage accusations. "It's not true. It is a malicious and false claim," Kasit said. "Thaksin feels he must destroy Thailand and collaborate with Hun Sen." Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 coup and self-exiled last year to avoid a jail term for corruption charges. Last week, Cambodia announced Thaksin’s official appointment as government economics adviser, prompting Thailand to withdraw its ambassador to Phnom Penh and Cambodia to reciprocate. Phnom Penh court deputy prosecutor Sok Roeun said Sivarak is now in pre-trial detention at Prey Sar prison and is being charged under article 19 of the 2005 Law on Archives, which covers offenses related to matters of national defence, security or public order. If convicted, Sivarak faces a jail term of between seven and 15 years and a fine of between 5 and 25 million riels (US$1198-5990). Police are now investigating whether more people were involved with the plot, Sok Phal said. http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009111329536/Online-Edition/thai-national-arrested-for-espionage.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted November 13, 2009 Report Share Posted November 13, 2009 Bangkok Post 13 Nov 2009 Jatuporn: Envoy aided alleged spy The first secretary of the Thai embassay in Phnom Penh was expelled from Cambodia because of the spy row, Puea Thai Party MP Jatuporn Promphan said on Friday. Mr Jatuporn, who is also a leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said [color:red]the expulsion was prompted by interference in Cambodian internal affairs by the Thai embassy[/color], which had stolen information on the flight plans of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He was referring to the arrest of Siwarak Chotipong, an employee of Cambodia Air Traffic Services, who is alleged to have passed the information to a Thai diplomat. Mr Jatuporn said the Thai embassy's action was a serious breach of diplomatic ethics. Cambodian authorities had good evidence, he said. The Puea Thai MP denied a report by a foreign news agency that Thaksin was in Cambodia in April when the Songkran riots took place in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyinEwa/Perv Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 I could be missing it but I haven't seen any updates on the board about his so I thought I'd add one here. Sivarak pardon plans hit snag It basically says that there were 2 plans to try to get a pardon. One was canceled at the mother's request and the second for unexplained reasons. Am I being an idiot (again) or is it obvious that this is being orchestrated by Thaksin? I mean he uses this poor sap to get arrested then will be the knight in shining armor when it seems all else has failed. I think he has already contacted the family (the reason for the 2 canceled pardon attempts) and will compensate them after he saves the day. Thus he will look like a hero to all Thai people, make the current government look like inept fools and put more pressure on a clean return to Thailand. Is it me?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 The guy worked for the company that ran Cambodia's airline flight planning. So he "spied" by "stealing" Thaksin's flight plan? Yeah, right. Mr T and Hun Sen are two of a kind: dictators at heart who will do anything for power and money. That's what "true democracy" is all about. Mr T obviously has intentions of becoming a "hero" by getting his "good friend" HS to pardon the "spy" and let Chawalit return him to LOS, where he will accordingly deliver a speech lavishing praise on Than Poo Nam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HonoluluJimmy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 A true pawn in political games. H.E. PolLCol Dr. Thaiksin S. will arrive and solve the problem. The poor guy just was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yeah, yellow shirts will not win and Red will help him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Bangkok Post 11 Dec 2009 Cambodian king pardons convicted Thai "spy" Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni Friday pardoned a Thai man jailed for seven years for spying on fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a Cambodian government spokesman said. Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni Friday pardoned a Thai man jailed for seven years for spying on fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Sivarak Chutipong, 31, an employee at the Cambodia Air Traffic Service, will be released from prison Monday to his family and a delegation from Thailand's opposition Puea Thai party, Cambodian spokesman Khieu Kanharith said. "The king just signed it this morning," Khieu Kanharith told AFP, adding that the royal pardon was issued after Prime Minister Hun Sen requested it Thursday. [color:red]"This morning Hun Sen said that if the man wants to continue working in Cambodia, he is welcome," Khieu Kanharith added.[/color] Sivarak's arrest in Phnom Penh last month deepened a diplomatic crisis over Cambodia's appointment of Thaksin as an economic adviser and its refusal to extradite the ousted premier to Thailand. During his trial Tuesday, Sivarak denied stealing any documents and stated that although he had informed the Thai embassy's first secretary by telephone of a flight arrival, he had not been aware that Thaksin was on board. Thaksin was toppled in a coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption, but he has continued to stir up protests in his homeland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyinEwa/Perv Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Looks like I was way off base, again. I like the way the article is worded, makes it appear as though he's been in jail for the last 7 years. Crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Does sort of sound like he was in prison 7 years. The prat reporter should have said SENTENCED to 7 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 [color:green]During his trial Tuesday, Sivarak denied stealing any documents and stated that although he had informed the Thai embassy's first secretary by telephone of a flight arrival, he had not been aware that Thaksin was on board.[/color] I'm sure he calls the Thai embassy everytime an aircraft lands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Only on flights to Cambodia from Dubai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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