Thai PM calls for caution over issue with Cambodia

News Desk
The Nation (Thailand)
Publication Date : 14-10-2010

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Wednesday (October 13) urged security officials to exercise caution while making public statements after Cambodia issued a strong statement denying it was sheltering and supporting weapons training for red shirts. He said ongoing investigations into the activities of the red shirts would continue but officials should not verify and imply any information that would hurt bilateral relations as the probes were not completely over. "Prime Minister Hun Sen has confirmed to me that Cambodian authorities had not been involved in any weapons training, and if the probes discover anything (otherwise), everything will be discussed directly between the governments of both countries. "But first we need to acquire information upon completion of all investigations in hand," he added. "We have to do things that are right and necessary, but giving a public statement over the issue requires extra caution. No country can allow weapons training to occur inside its territory against Thailand's security," he said. Foreign minister Kasit Piromya is set to hand over investigation reports by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) indicating that weapons training was provided on Cambodian soil. The foreign ministry would also make a statement in response to Cambodia's denial as well as ask for cooperation to verify the DSI reports. "I don't think bilateral relations have been affected over this issue," he added. DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said he had accepted a written protest from the Cambodian government against the DSI's statement about weapons training, but had stood by its intelligence reports with facts supplied by its agents on on-site active duty. "All DSI officials have been instructed to be very careful about giving public statements that could affect Thai-Cambodian relations," he added. Meanwhile, Pheu Thai MP Wisut Chaiyanarun vowed to resign if a Parliament contract employee could not defend her involvement in a 50,000 baht (US$1,700) transaction. The money was eventually received by pro-red bomber Samai Wongsuwan, who was killed in a Nonthaburi apartment explosion last week. Wasa Theprian, and an unnamed businessman involved in the transaction process, would meet with police Friday. Wisut, who sought employment for Wasa at Parliament, claimed that the businessman used Wasa to transfer the money to Kasi Ditthanarat one day after the explosion. Police had earlier said that Kasi gave some money to Samai and also allowed him the use of a pickup truck. A former security guard working for Pheu Thai Party, Suksan Rangwiren, was Wednesday afternoon handed over to Bangkok's Bang Rak police, who are investigating the discovery of an RPG launcher and four rockets found in a room rented under his name. He surrendered to police in Chumphon Wednesday morning and denied any wrongdoing. In a related development, Cambodia Wednesday accused Thai authorities of playing "dirty games" and concocting evidence that the red shirts had received weapons training on its territory, Agence France-Presse reported. In Phnom Penh, the Cambodian government strongly rejected the allegations, saying it would not allow foreigners to set up training camps on its territory. In a statement, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers accused Thai authorities of engaging in "malicious political manoeuvring" to link Cambodia to Thailand's internal problems. Cambodia "strongly demands that Thailand's DSI put an end to the dirty games of concocting evidence to deflect Thailand's public opinion from Thailand's own internal political and social problems," he said.