Thursday, March 24, 2011

Thailand seeks royal pardon for two people jailed in Cambodia

24 Mar, 2011

The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has submitted a petition seeking a royal pardon for two Thais being jailed there for illegal entry and espionage charges, a government official said on Wednesday.

The petition was submitted through the Cambodian Foreign Ministry on March 14, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post online.

Thani said he did not know how long the pardon process would take.

Veera Somkwamkid, a leader of the nationalistic Thai Patriots Network, whose supporters have been protesting against the Thai government for its mishandling of the Thai-Cambodian border dispute, and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon and five other Thais were arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec. 29 for illegal entry.

On Jan. 21, the five Thais were found guilty by a Phnom Penh court of illegal entry into Cambodia and trespassing into a military area. Each was given nine months of imprisonment and fined 1 million riels (250 U.S. dollars), but the jail term was suspended.

The five returned to Bangkok the next day after spending almost a month in Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh.

Veera and Ratree were later sentenced to eight years and six years of imprisonment respectively without suspension on additional charges of espionage.

Source: Xinhua

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