PM admits to sending Panich to border

04 Jan, 2011
Source: Bangkok Post

Prime Minister Abhist Vejjajiva on Tuesday morning admitted he sent Panich Vikitsreth to the Thai-Cambodian border where the Democrat MP was arrested along with six other Thais.

Mr Abhisit said this before chairing the weekly cabinet meeting, with the topic high on the agenda.

The Democrat Party would also meet this afternoon to discuss this matter. Some of Bangkok MPs had expressed the wish to go to Cambodia to visit Mr Panich at Prey Sar prison, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the Thai side must exercise a lot of patience and rely mainly on negotiations.

He hoped Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen would think about friendship and relations between the two countries.

The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia had been in contact, he said.

Mr Suthep, who is also secretary-general of the Democrat Party, said Mr Panich the incident was not a political game, and expressed concern over the Thai Patriots Network's plan for a protest rally in Sa Kaeo province today saying it could further escalate the situation.

He believed the problem would be solved through negotiations with Cambodia, without any Asean country having to mediate.

The problem should be solved before Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An's planned visit to Thailand.

On the offer help by Noppadon Pattama, a close aide of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Suthep said that was welcomed.

The deputy prime minister also denied a claim by a core member of the Thai Patriots Network that Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon told Cambodia to arrest the Thais, warning that rumours like this could further complicate the matter.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, PM's deputy secretary-general and acting government spokesman, said he wanted more information on the video clip showing Mr Panich making a phone call, apparently from inside Cambodia, which has been posted on YouTube before commenting on it.

The government was also waiting to see what action the Cambodian court would take regarding the seven Thais, he said.

He said Mr Abhisit had no plan to travel to Cambodia.