Sunday, December 13, 2009

Pheu Thai MPs expected to meet Thaksin in Phnom Penh

Sun, Dec 13, 2009
The Nation/Asia News Network

Cambodian immigration officers have been ordered to welcome a group of Pheu Thai MPs who are expected to meet former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in Phnom Penh tomorrow.

Pheu Thai chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has told his close aides he will not fly to Phnom Penh to see the release of the Thai engineer convicted for spying.

Supporters of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a rally in Bangkok.

In the Thai border province of Sa Kaew, Cambodian officers, who asked not to be named, said yesterday that immigration officers in Poipet and other officers from Banteay Meanchey had a meeting on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's instructions to prepare for the visit by Pheu Thai MPs and Thaksin supporters.

Thaksin posted on Twitter that he had "asked permission to travel to exchange ideas with leaders of three countries in Asia for seven to eight days. I will try to keep in touch through Twitter or SMS as well as radio," he said.

"I'm sleepy now. I have a flight early in the morning but I haven't meditated. Good night. I might not be available for a talk tomorrow. Let's talk again on Sunday."

He did not mention the countries on his itinerary.

Maj-General Kattiya Sawasdipol said Thaksin, Chavalit and other Pheu Thai MPs would witness the release ceremony of Thai engineer Sivarak Chutipong.

Air Chief Marshal Sumet Phomanee, Thaksin's pre-cadet classmate and a Pheu Thai member, said it was likely that Thaksin would go to Cambodia but declined to confirm the trip.

Sumet dismissed Prime Minister Abhisit's Vejjajiva threat to try to arrest Thaksin if he flies into Thai airspace, saying Thaksin has his own security measures and would not necessarily pass over Thailand.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Cambodian officers and Simarak na Nakhon Phanom, the mother of Sivarak, had asked Pheu Thai MPs to visit the country and bring Sivarak back to Thailand. But the party had not decided whether to take up the invitation.

Prompong as well as Thaksin's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama refused to confirm whether Thaksin would visit Cambodia soon.

Prompong and Chavalit's close aide, Lt-General Pirat Swamiwa, said Chavalit would not make the trip to Cambodia to pre-empt criticism that he did things for publicity.

Sivarak was granted a pardon by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Friday, three days after he was sentenced by a Cambodian court to seven years in jail for leaking Thaksin's flight information during a previous visit.

After Sivarak was sentenced, the Pheu Thai Party and Chavalit proposed to help him by writing letters seeking a royal pardon.

Some Pheu Thai sources said Pheu Thai MPs would leave Suvarnabhumi Airport at 7.45am for Cambodia to observe Sivarak's discharge from prison.

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