04 Jan, 2011
Source: Bangkok Post
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva explained to the cabinet on Tuesday he knew only that Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth would go to a border area, but did not know exactly where where, acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said after the cabinet meeting.
Mr Abhisit on Tuesday morning admitted to having sent Mr Panich to the border and said that he would explain the matter after the cabinet meeting.
Mr Panitan said the prime minister told the cabinet that Mr Panich initially informed him that he would go to a border point in Prachin Buri province. But, from the border, Mr Panich reported through the prime minister's personal secretary that he went to Sa Kaeo province instead.
When Mr Panich called on the telephone, it was not known for sure if he and six other Thais were in Cambodia, making it difficult for the government to help when they were arrested.
According to Mr Panitan, the Foreign Affairs Ministry reported to the cabinet on its plans to help the seven Thais, who have been charged with trespassing on Cambodian territory and intruding into a military zone.
The ministry will appoint two lawyers to handle the case.
The ministry insisted that Mr Panich and his team did not have the intention to trespass on Cambodian soil. They were there only to investigate a complaint from local villagers, who said they could no longer make their living in the area.
The team sincerely believed the area was Thai soil and had no intention of causing a problem for relations between the two countries.
The Foreign Ministry would do all it can to maintain good relations with Cambodia and will continue to keep incontract with the Cambodian government.
The Defence and Foreign Affairs ministries had assigned the army's survey department to examine the area to pinpoint the exact location where the seven Thais were arrested. A report on this matter was expected by Tuesday evening.
Mr Abhisit said in a separate interview that he had viewed the video clips posted on the internet and being used by Cambodia against the seven Thais.
The total length of the clips was 20 minutes, but was cut to only one minute.
The clips must be viewed in their entirety and a map drawn up to show the exact location so as to confirm that the Thais had no intention to trespass on Cambodian territory, the prime minister said.
Mr Abhisit said he had not directly contacted Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and would leave it to the appropriate authorities to do their job.
The prime minister also asked the Thai Patriots Network not to instigate unrest, because that would not do anything good for the country.
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