Alleged Thai Spy’s Hearing Today

The alleged Thai spy arrested by Cambodia last month is to have a court appearance today at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, according to DAP News.
The alleged spy man will be represented by his new lawyer, Khiev Sambo, after the Phnom Penh Court decided deny bail last week.
A Cambodian opposition MP on Monday said that information from the alleged spy, Sivarak Chutipong, will rock the Thai government when he returns to Thailand after the hearing takes place on December 8.
Sivarak could reveal information that will destabilize the Thai government when he eventually returns to Thailand from Cambodia, Puea Thai MP for Thailand’s Kanchanaburi province Ma Phongam was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post on M?onday.
Sivarak, 31, an employee of Thai-owned Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), was arrested on Nov 11 on charges of stealing sensitive state information, fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s flight plan when he visited Phnom Pehn, and passing it to a Thai diplomat.
“The case is over if the court finds Sivarak innocent. But if he is guilty, a royal pardon will be sought and it would be up to the Cambodian king,” Ma said.
The opposition MP said former prime minister and party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh wanted to help out because he had close ties with Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen. He pointed out that the Cambodian government had denounced Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.
“This case does not need Thaksin’s help. Gen Chavalit can handle this,” he said.
He repeated claims the party was not indulging political one-upmanship by helping Sivarak, but was intent on helping a Thai in trouble.
“Let’s wait until Sivarak returns. The things he’ll say will, I believe, affect the government’s stability because he is the victim,” Ma said.
Meanwhile, the alleged spy’s mother arrived Phnom Penh on Monday morning to attend the hearing accompanied a Thai Foreign Ministry official and her another son.
An opposition Phue Thai party leader in Thailand last week expressed confidence that the alleged Thai spy detained by Cambodian authorities will be freed after his first hearing next week.

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[Thai] Trade with Cambodia will decline at least 20%

Trade between Thailand and Cambodia will fall at least 20-per-cent short of last year's US$2.13 billion (Bt70.64 billion), due to their roiling political conflict, a new study shows.

"Trade will decline 20 per cent, or roughly Bt14 billion, if the two countries respond to each other only by diplomatic means," Anusorn Tamajai, dean of Rangsit University's Faculty of Economics, said yesterday.

"But if the situation grows more intense until they end up closing the border, the trade loss will rise to 50 per cent. In the most serious scenario, in which the two countries go to war with each other, 90 per cent of the trade will disappear."

The study, "Economic and Investment Impact from the Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Some Solutions", focused on the opinions of Thai social leaders and businessmen.

Over the past two or three years, two-way trade has been growing 10-15 per cent annually, with many Thai companies expanding their investment there, particularly those in labour-intensive industries.

The loss of investment could range from Bt7 billion to Bt32.521 billion, depending on the severity of the situation.

However, it is difficult to evaluate the full loss from this conflict, especially in terms of poorer living standards and lost economic opportunities, he said.

Fifty-two per cent of survey respondents preferred the two governments to solve the conflict diplomatically and return the situation to normal as soon as possible.

Only 2 per cent thought Cambodia was wrong and that the Cambodian government should be responded to in a tit-for-tat manner.

Anusorn said both governments would do best to place their respective countries' welfare as their top priority and boost collaboration, in order to achieve the Asean Economic Community.

"Some of our respondents - and I, personally - thought PM Abhisit Vejjajiva should be brave enough to move Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to another ministry. Or he should appoint other people to be responsible for Cambodian affairs, because Kasit has had a personal conflict with Cambodia for a long time now," he said.

The government should adopt measures like low-interest loans or tax deductions to support the companies that were affected by this conflict, Anusorn added.

Thu, November 26, 2009
By CHALIDA EKVITTHAYAVECHNUKUL
THE NATION

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Cambodian court to rule on spy charges against Thai engineer on Dec 8

A Cambodian court is scheduled to deliver a ruling in the case against a Thai engineer, who was arrested on an espionage charge, on December 8, a senor Thai Justice Ministry official said Wednesday.

Thai News Agency quoted Thawee Sodsong, deputy permanent secretary for Justice, as saying that the court was scheduled to deliver a ruling on the case against Siwrak Chutipong on December 8.

Thawee arrived at the Suvarnabhumi Airport Wednesday morning after meeting the Cambodian justice minister and Siwarak in Phnom Penh, Thai News Agency said.

Thawee said the Cambodian justice minister promised to ensure that Siwarak would receive justice and he would make arrangement for Siwarak's mother to visit him in the prison.

Thawee said Siwarak was being detained in a 5 x 5 metre cell along with four other suspects.

The Nation

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'I'm not a spy, flight details were public'[: Alleged Thai spy]

The Foreign Ministry released a hand-written letter yesterday from Siwarak Chutipong detailing his account of the allegations that landed him in jail in Cambodia.

The letter, dated Monday (Nov 23), said the information about fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight schedule he had sent to a Thai diplomat was not out of the ordinary and could be accessed by the public.

"I have worked in Cambodia for eight years and have done nothing wrong. I have never been involved in politics and have no ill intention against Cambodia, otherwise I would not have worked here for this long," Siwarak said in the letter.

He said he had no idea what had happened, and that there might have been some misunderstandings between the two governments.

"I know that Thai people are concerned about me and I appreciate that, but I don't want my case to ignite any conflicts between Thai and Cambodian people," he said. "My problem can be solved peacefully."

He also thanked the Thai government for providing assistance.

Siwarak's letter was delivered to the Foreign Ministry by his lawyer Kao Soupha on Monday, though the ministry only publicised it yesterday after the lawyer told reporters Siwarak had confessed to giving Thaksin's flight information to a Thai diplomat, who was later expelled.

In the letter, Siwarak said he was not a spy and hoped the Cambodian court would be just and release him so he could be with his family.

"I work to help develop Cambodia. I never expected such a bad thing to happen to me," he said.

Siwarak was arrested on November 12 when Thaksin was in Phnom Penh to deliver a lecture on economic matters to Cambodian economists and businesspeople. His visit fuelled tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.

In another development, a fishery boat owner in Trat province said provincial authorities in Koh Kong Cambodia had hiked fishery concession fees from Bt60,000 per boat per expedition to Bt80,000. The fisherman, Kitti Surarith, said Cambodian waters had been sealed off until the new fees could be put into effect.

The Nation

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Cambodia Rejects Thai Report Hun Sen's Daughter Plans To Hold Shares in CATS

STATEMENT

The Spokesman of the Royal Government of Cambodia totally rejects the report of the Thai News Agency on November 21, 2009, which was confirmed by Panitan Wattanayakorn, the Royal Thai Government's acting Spokesman, alleging that the daughter of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Cambodian Prime Minister, was planning to hold shares in Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a private company.

The Spokesman wishes to stress, once again, that the Royal Government of Cambodia appointed its officials to temporarily supervise and manage the company, only to protect the national security and safety for Cambodian leaders.

In addition, the temporary supervision and management of CATS by the Royal Government of Cambodia will continue until the court's final decision to bring an end to the case of the Thai staff, who has been accused of disclosing the confidential flight schedule of Thaksin Shinawatra. Following the court's final decision, the Royal Government of Cambodia will take position on the company's management.

The Abhisit-led government has violated international law as well as bilateral agreements, such as the Judgment of the International Court of Justice of the Hague in 1962 on the Case of the Temple of Preah Vihear. Recently, the Abhisit's government unilaterally revoked the 2001 MOU specifying negotiation arrangements aimed at achieving a joint development of oil and gas in the Area of the Overlapping Maritimes Claims to the Continental Shelf, which is to be implemented at the same time as the planned negotiations on the maritime boundary delimitation. These actions reflect the Thai government glaring violation of the principles of international law concerning the obligations signatories have to fulfill in the context of bilateral, multi-lateral agreements or treaties as stipulated in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969 particularly as it relates to the principle of state continuity and the Pacta Sunt Servada principle.

Without firm position concerning the respect of agreements and having violated the principles of international law, the Abhisit's government must think that Cambodia will follow Thailand's way.

On the contrary, as a member of the United Nations, Cambodia has been always strictly respectful of its obligation as a signatory State to international agreements and treaties in force. Indeed, the Royal Government of Cambodia has never violated any agreements it has signed.

The Royal Government of Cambodia always fulfills the agreements it signs, including agreements with the private sector, so as to enhance the confidence of local and foreign investors, including Thai investors.

Regarding the above allegation, the Spokesman expresses strong regrets, and is wondering why this news report would be fabricated. Indeed, this action, which indicates a lack of political maturity, seems to show clearly the intention of the Abhisit's government to use a private company as a tool of political exploitation and diplomatic boasting and to discourage foreign investors who invest in Cambodia.

Phnom Penh, November 23, 2009

Phnom Penh Office of the Council of Ministers in English
23 Nov 09

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Abhisit government lacks political maturity - Cambodia

Cambodia defends control of CATS as Siwarak admits to report of Thaksin flight plan

Cambodia yesterday lashed out at the Thai government over an allegation of taking control of the Thai-owned air-traffic-control company.

Meanwhile, a detained employee of the company confessed to a Cambodian court yesterday about leaking ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight information to a Thai diplomat.

Cambodian authorities temporarily controlled Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS) operations for national-security reasons until the case of its employee, Siwarak Chotipong, who has been accused of spying, comes to an end, a statement in Phnom Penh said.

"Cambodia always fulfills agreements it signs, including agreements with the private sector, so as to enhance the confidence of local and foreign investors, including Thai investors," the statement said.

"Without a firm position concerning the respect for agreements and having violated the principles of international law, the Abhisit [Vejjajiva] government must think that Cambodia will follow Thailand's way," it said.

Cambodia accused the Thai government of failure to honour the 1962 ruling on Preah Vihear Temple by the International Court of Justice and a maritime deal signed in 2001.

CATS is at the core of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. Its employee was arrested on November 12 as Thaksin arrived in Cambodia to give a lecture on economic development strategy to government economists and the business sector.

Siwarak admitted he had reported Thaksin's flight plan to the Thai Embassy's first secretary, Kamrob Palawatwichai, 10 minutes after Thaksin landed in Phnom Penh on November 10, defence lawyer Kao Soupha said.

Siwarak did not know at the beginning that Thaksin was on the plane, the lawyer said.

"My client did not spy on Thaksin, since it is his responsibility as the official of the air-traffic-control company to know about the flight information," Kao Soupha said in a phone interview from Phnom Penh.

Siwarak has worked for the company for about eight years and knows very well that flight information is no secret, the lawyer said.

What Siwarak disclosed to the people who asked him about the matter was a confirmation that a charter flight had landed at Phnom Penh Airport.

The Thai employee did not pay attention to Thaksin's visit to Cambodia, because Siwarak was not in the country four days before the fugitive ex-premier landed in Phnom Penh, Soupha said.

"If he had really wanted |to spy on Thaksin, he would not leave Cambodia, because Thaksin was about to arrive in the country," the lawyer said.

Siwarak is being held in pretrial detention at Prey Sor Prison, although a date for his trial has yet to be officially announced.

Soupha said he had filed a bail request for him yesterday and guaranteed Siwarak would not return to Thailand during the court trial. The court has 10 days to consider the bail request, he said.

The lawyer expects the Cambodian court will rule on December 8.

Thai authorities are going |all out to provide assistance |to Siwarak. A delegation from the Justice Ministry visited Cambodia yesterday, while representatives of the Law Society of Thailand and the Foreign Ministry will land in Phnom Penh today to see him.

His mother, Simarak na Nakhon Phanom, will have a chance to see him this week, a Thai Foreign Ministry official said.

Meanwhile, the local authority in Cambodia's Koh Kong province yesterday sealed its sea, barring Thai fishery trawlers from its water.

Thai Navy commander Admiral Kamthorn Phumhiran said fishery concessions granted earlier to Thai boats were terminated, because Cambodia had changed the Koh Kong governor.

It is a norm of Cambodia to review the concession each time people in authority are changed out, he said.

Kamthorn said the termination of the fishery concession had nothing to do with the ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries and that the concession would be renewed once the new governor was firmly in charge.

Koh Kong's new governor, Lert Promkesorn, will take his time to study the fishery concession before deciding whether to renew it, a source said.

November 24, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

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Cambodia flights recover

Air traffic between Thailand and Cambodia has returned to near-normal levels after plummeting at the height of the diplomatic spat earlier this month.

Bangkok-based carriers such as Thai Airways International (THAI) and Bangkok Airways saw bookings start to rebound last week.

Tension between the nations escalated rapidly after fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Cambodia on Nov 10 to take up his appointment as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government.

Bangkok Airways, which has the largest capacity between the two countries, saw Thais cancel flights to Siem Reap during the dispute. But there was a steady flow of foreign passengers, especially Europeans, said executives at the airline.

Bangkok Airways operates six daily flights to Siem Reap and three daily flights to Phnom Penh.

THAI, which has 14 flights a week between Bangkok and Phnom Penh, saw about 40% of reservations cancelled in the week after Thaksin's visit.

"We're almost back to normal now," said a senior THAI executive.

Bookings show no sign that they will drop in the near future, he said.

"I think that people appreciate that politics and economics are separate issues in the Thai-Cambodian case, so it looks like business as usual," he said.

But Thai AirAsia, which operates daily flights between the two capitals, said it was entirely unaffected by the souring of diplomatic ties.

Thai AirAsia chief executive Tassapon Bijleveld said nothing suggests that its load factor on the route will drop in the near future.

Bangkok has been a gateway to Cambodia, especially among long-haul international travellers, because of easy and frequent connections through Suvarnabhumi airport.

24/11/2009
Boonsong Kositchotethana
Bangkok Post

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Thailand denies access to Cambodian waters closed

BANGKOK, Nov 23 (TNA) - Thai government on Monday said Cambodia has not blocked the entry of Thai fishing boats into its territorial waters, as earlier claimed by opposition Puea Thai Party chairman Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Gen Chavalit, a former Thai premier, earlier said about one thousand of Thai trawlers and fishing boats were not allowed to enter the Cambodian waters to make their living after the Cambodian government ordered the closure of its territorial waters.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday denied Gen Chavalit's remarks, saying that the matter is untrue as concerned authorities has not verified that the news is true.

Panitan Wattanaykorn, acting government spokesman said he has verified the matter with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) and the Royal Thai Navy and has been reaffirmed that the waters were not closed as reported.

He reasoned that the Thai trawlers cannot enter Cambodian waters because their licences had expired and it will take time to renew the licence as the governor of Cambodia's Kong Island has just been changed.

"The prime minister has instructed concerned agencies to coordinate and facilitate the Thai fishing boats," said Mr Panitan. "I reaffirmed that the blocking of Thai trawlers into Cambodian waters has nothing to do with recent diplomatic spat of the two kingdoms as Thai boats with licences are still allowed to enter the areas."

Mr Panitan added that relations between Thailand and Cambodia have gradually improved. Indicating that Thailand’s assistant to the justice minister met with his Cambodian counterpart and received a warm welcome from the Cambodian deputy prime minister.

The spokesman, however, declined to comment on the latest news report that a daughter of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen planned to hold shares in Thai-owned Cambodia Traffic Air Services (CATS) after the Cambodian government temporarily took over management of the firm.

Dr Panitan said only that he was aware of the story from news reports, but that the Thai government has a clear stance not to comment on Cambodia's domestic affairs and has reiterated the stance with all spokespersons of the Thai ministries.

Diplomatic row between Thailand and Cambodia flared up when the Cambodian government appointed fugitive Thai former premier Thaksin Shinwatra as its economic adviser and personal adviser to Mr Hun Sen, while rejecting Thailand's extradition request regarding Mr Thaksin.

The ambassadors of the two countries were recalled, while Thailand terminated the joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) on maritime affairs which included shared access to undersea mineral resources.

Cambodia then arrested a Thai engineer working at CATS on spy charges after he was found releasing Mr Thaksin’s flight details and expelled the Thai first secretary to Phnom Penh.

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Cambodia denies premier's daughter taking stake in air traffic firm

Phnom Penh - Cambodia rejected Monday a Thai media claim that the daughter of Prime Minister Hun Sen is to take a stake in a Thai firm at the centre of a spying row. A cabinet statement said the government's management of Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), a Thai-owned air traffic control firm, is temporary.

However, the statement did not indicate how long the government's hold over CATS would last.

"The spokesman wishes to stress, once again, that the Royal Government of Cambodia appointed its officials to temporarily supervise and manage the company, only to protect the national security and safety for Cambodian leaders," it said.

A Thai employee of CATS was arrested November 12 for allegedly leaking the flight details of Thailand's fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his recent visit to Cambodia.

Thaksin was in Cambodia in his capacity as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government and as a personal adviser to Hun Sen.

The two appointments and Thaksin's visit sparked a diplomatic row that plunged relations between the neighbouring countries to their lowest level in years, as each government recalled its ambassador.

DPA

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Thai engineer confessed to providing info to Thai embassy

Siwarak Chothipong, the Thai engineer accused of spying and stealing Thaksin Shinawatra’s flight schedule, confessed that he did provide Thaksin’s flight information to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. Kao Sopha, Siwarak’s defense lawyer, told news media that his client gave a confession to the court that he did provide Thaksin’s flight information to the Thai embassy, but Siwarak allegedly reported to the embassy 10 minutes after Thaksin’s plane landed. Furthermore, Siwarak allegedly did not know that Thaksin was in the plane at that time. Kao Sopha said that the accusation about his client stealing flight schedule is not correct because it was his professional responsibility as an employee of CATS, and he had the right to know this information.

23 Nov 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

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Thais banned from Cambodian waters

The Cambodian government has banned Thai fishermen from its territorial waters, opposition Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said on Monday.

Former prime minister Chavalit expressed concern over the Thai-Cambodian maritime dispute after more than 1,000 Thai trawlers could not enter Cambodia's territorial waters.

He called on the Thai government to end this problem quickly, as it has caused trouble for many fishermen.

"I don't know whether the problem has come about because of the Thai-Cambodian rift, and I don't want to make any predictions." Gen Chavalit said. "Former prime minister [Thaksin Shinawatra] and I are not the cause of the Thai-Cambodian row."

On the government's plan to help the detained Thai engineer in Cambodia, Gen Chavalit said he wanted to support the government and believed the government could resolve the situation.

"If the government fails to resolve it, I am ready to give a hand since I've made a promise with the engineer's mother that I will help him and ensure his safety."

On Nov 11, the Cambodian government arrested Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS) employee Siwarak Chutipong for allegedly stealing the flight information of Thaksin.

Bangkok Post

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Pheu Thai questions [Thai] govt source of [Thaksin's flight]

The opposition Pheu Thai Party yesterday questioned the government over its source for the flight plan of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if it was not obtained from the Thai employee being held in Cambodia on charges of spying.

Thaksin's private plane had been granted permission to fly through Thai airspace to Cambodia and on the way back during his visit from November 10-14.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban said he instructed the Civil Aviation Department to revoke permission for Thaksin's return flight from Cambodia to Dubai.

"If I knew at the beginning that Thaksin flew by that plane, I would have forced him to land in Thailand. He would have had no chance to arrive in Cambodia," Suthep told reporters.

Pheu Thai MP Anudit Nakhonthap, a former F-16 pilot, wondered how Suthep managed to know that Thaksin was on flight CL30 so that he could ban it from passing over Thai territory.

Thaksin's flight information caused a conflict with Cambodia as Phnom Penh detained Siwarak Chotipong on suspicion of stealing Thaksin's flight plan and leaking it to Bangkok.

Siwarak works for a Thai-owned company, Cambodia Aviation Traffic Service, which is now under the control of Cambodian authorities.

"Unless Suthep wanted Siwarak to be a scapegoat, he should disclose his source of information to the public and Cambodian authorities," Anudit said.

To get permission to fly over any country, pilots are not required to give out the passenger manifest, he said, adding that he would grill Suthep on the matter in Parliament on Thursday.

Although Thaksin did not enter Thai airspace, Anudit claimed that Thai F-16 and F-5 fighter jets fully loaded with weapons were ordered to tail his aircraft as he took off from Cambodia on November 14.

Monthon Satchukorn, a deputy Air Force spokesman, dismissed the allegation.

"We flew our jets for routine surveillance on the day when Thaksin took off but we did not follow him as he did not fly over our territory," he said.

November 23, 2009
By Panya Thiewsangwan,
Kesinee Taengkhio
The Nation

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Cambodian PM's daughter to take over CATS

BANGKOK, Nov 21 (TNA) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s daughter plans to hold shares in Thai-owned Cambodia Traffic Air Services (CATS) after the Cambodian government has temporarily taken over management of the firm, according to Dr Panitan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the Thai prime minister.

Dr Panitan, also acting government spokesman, confirmed the news report that Cambodian leader's daughter is planning to hold shares in CATS.

The plan followed confirmation by the Cambodian government of its temporarily assuming control of the management of the country's air traffic control company following the arrest of CATS employee Siwarak Chutipong on charges of espionage.

Tekreth Samrach, a deputy minister of Cambodia’s Council of Ministers, said in Phnom Penh Friday that his government acted against CATS for the sake of national security and for flight safety. Nine other Thai employees of the company were also banned from the workplace.

Meanwhile, Chawanon Intarakomalsut, the Thai Foreign Minister’s secretary, said in Bangkok that CATS is registered in Hong Kong and it was not possible to determine the identity of its shareholders.

He said, however, it would be difficult for any individual to take over the company, but his ministry would try to assist CATS. So far the company has not requested help.

He said the Thai foreign ministry is studying whether CATS is included in the Thai Cambodian Investment Protection Act as it is registered in Hong Kong.

Dr Panithan said that he did not know whether the company could be protected as other companies registered in Cambodia.

It is up to the company to file a request for the Cambodian government to consider, said Mr Panithan, adding that the firm’s lawyer and Mr Siwarak’s lawyer are different persons.

Referring to the bail request for detained Siwarak, Mr Chawanon said he expected that the process could be completed next week.

Mr Siwarak’s mother could also probably visit her son next week, Mr Chawanon added.

Relations between the two neighbouring countries have been strained after Phnom Penh rejected a formal request from Thailand to extradite Mr Thaksin during his five-day stay in Cambodia, beginning November 10.

The situation deteriorated when ambassadors of the two countries were recalled. Mr Siwarak was apprehended in Phnom Penh on spying charges on November 12 when he was seen releasing flight information on the fugitive former Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra’s, to a Thai embassy official.

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Thailand Row: Suspected Thai spy questioned

THE Thai engineer accused of stealing the flight schedule of fugitive Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra appeared for questioning at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday, National Police Deputy Commissioner Sok Phal said. The 31-year-old Siwarak Chotipong, an employee of Cambodia Air Traffic Services Co, was arrested in the midst of the diplomatic row over Thaksin’s visit to Cambodia last week. He is currently being held in pretrial detention at Prey Sar prison. “Today, the court called him for questioning, and our police force just escorted him from the jail to the court,” Sok Phal said. Chang Sinat, the investigating judge in the case, declined to comment on a potential trial date. “I cannot say when the court will proceed with the trial because this is a confidential investigation and it has not yet finished,” she said.

The Phnom Penh Post

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Govt seizes Thai airport firm

THE government took control of the Thai-owned aviation firm Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS) on Thursday and banned its Thai employees from the offices after the arrest of one of their co-workers on suspicion of stealing the flight schedule of fugitive Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his visit to Cambodia last week.

The move, which is likely to further damage diplomatic relations between the two countries, comes amid accusations by a Thai opposition leader that Thailand’s foreign minister ordered the theft.

CATS is a fully owned subsidiary of Bangkok-based Samart corporation, which has a 32-year air traffic control concession and employs nine Thai nationals in Cambodia.

It has been placed under the caretakership of a Cambodian government official, though representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority declined to comment on the official’s identity or the duration of the caretakership.

“The caretaker has prohibited the Thai expatriates from performing their duties,” Samart vice chairman Sirichai Rasameechan said in a letter to Thailand’s stock exchange, where the company is listed.

Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodia’s takeover of CATS was “temporary” but necessary “to ensure national security and public safety.” The financial operations of the company, he added, would not be affected.

The move follows last week’s arrest of CATS employee Siwarak Chotipong, a 31-year-old Thai accused of spying, who is currently being held in pretrial detention at Prey Sar prison.

Cambodian officials say that Siwarak was ordered to steal the flight schedule by Kamrob Palawatwichai, the first secretary of the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. Kamrob was expelled last week, and Thailand responded by expelling the first secretary of the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok.

Both countries had already withdrawn their respective ambassadors in the row over Thaksin’s appointment as government economics adviser.

Siwarak is being charged under Article 19 of the 2005 Law on Archives, which covers offences related to matters of national defence, security or public order. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Kav Soupha, Siwarak’s defence attorney, said Thursday that he did not believe that the leaking of Thaksin’s flight schedule constituted a threat to Cambodia’s national security.

“Thaksin is not the prime minister of Cambodia – he is a convicted man who is being hunted by Thai authorities,” Kav Soupha said. “Even if [Siwarak] had reported to the Thai embassy, that would be according to his right and obligation as a Thai citizen to alert authorities about a fugitive.”

Kav Soupha added that he planned to request that Siwarak be released on bail.

Jatuporn Prompan, a parliamentarian from the opposition Puea Thai party, said Wednesday that he had an audio tape of Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya ordering the flight schedule theft of which Siwarak is accused, the Bangkok Post reported.

Thai Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thongphakdi, however, said officials in his ministry “do not believe in the existence of such a tape”.

Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said he had no knowledge of such evidence.

Kasit said Thailand would have to gather further information about the CATS takeover before formulating a response.

“The ministry is waiting for reports from the Thai embassy and we will also have to get clarification from the Cambodian government. If it violates bilateral agreements, then we will find ways to proceed from there,” the Bangkok Post quoted Kasit as saying.

Secrecy ordered
As tensions between Thailand and Cambodia simmered, the government released a directive on Wednesday in which the Ministry of Interior called on all government officials to encrypt their communications to “protect information related to national security”.

The statement, signed by Interior Minister Sar Kheng on October 15, touted, without specifically describing, newly acquired encryption technology that will “guarantee secrecy, so that government information will not be leaked”.

Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said such measures were necessary in Cambodia’s present diplomatic circumstances.

“If Thaksin would have been arrested because of [Siwarak] leaking information about him, that would prove we could not keep sensitive information a secret.”

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY VONG SOKHENG AND AFP


The Phnom Penh Post

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Abhisit confident CATS takeover won't worsen spat

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says he is confident Cambodia's move to take over air traffic operations from a Thai firm will not worsen the bitter spat between the two countries.

The prime minister said there was no sign that what happened to Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS) would erode the confidence of other Thai businesses operating in the country.

The Cambodian government on Wednesday ordered all Thai officials of CATS to stop work. The order followed Phnom Penh's decision to charge Sivarak Chutipong, a CATS engineer, with spying by allegedly supplying the classified flight plan of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to a Thai diplomat.

Executive vice chairman of Samart Corporation Plc Sirichai Rasameechan told the Stock Exchange of Thailand yesterday that a senior civil aviation official of the Cambodian government had taken over the operations.

"Samart Corporation Plc has been closely cooperating with the Thai government to help negotiate with the Cambodian government for the release of Mr Sivarak and resolve this incident," he said in a statement.

CATS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samart. It has a contract to provide air traffic control services in Cambodia for 32 years, from 2001 to 2033. Revenue from the Cambodian operation was about 800 million baht last year, about 5% of the group's consolidated revenues.

Despite Mr Abhisit's optimism, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya sent a strong message to Phnom Penh on the issue, saying Cambodia should respect the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement made with Thailand.

"The decision must be in tandem with the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement. If it is not, then we need to find a way to take action," Mr Kasit said.

Mr Kasit also challenged the Puea Thai Party to reveal what it claimed was a secret tape recording of his conversation with the embassy in which he allegedly tried to obtain Thaksin's flight details.

Puea Thai MP Jatuporn Prompan claimed the Cambodian government had an audio clip of Mr Kasit.

"I am dying to listen to my voice. Does Mr Jatuporn work for Cambodia?" Mr Kasit asked reporters.

Mr Kasit said the ministry was waiting for confirmation from Cambodian authorities about when the detained Thai engineer could receive visitors.

The government plans to arrange for his mother, Simarak na Nakhon Phanom, to travel to Prey Sar prison in the Cambodian capital to visit her son.

Mr Kasit rejected an offer by Puea Thai chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to help bring Mr Sivarak back home, saying it was not Gen Chavalit's responsibility. The government was taking care of it.

Bangkok Post

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Thai PM: Gov't seeking ways to help Thai firm in Cambodia

The Thai Foreign Ministry has been instructed to help solve a problem at Cambodia Air Traffic Services Co Ltd (CATS) after the Cambodian government takes control of CATS, Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thursday.

The Cambodian government has appointed a supervisor to oversee CATS, while Thai employees have not been allowed to continue working in the firm, Thai News Agency reported.

The Thai Foreign Ministry will look into agreements concerning investors' protection as CATS will consult with the ministry on how it can regain its own right, Abhisit said.

Cambodia Air Traffic Services Co Ltd is a wholly-owned unit of Thailand's Samart Corporation.

Abhisit said the Thai government has been working how to deal with Cambodia, which has claimed that the Cambodian government's action on CATS is concerned with security.

Having controlled CATS by the Cambodia government occurs after Siwarak Chothipong, a 31-year-old-Thai man, who worked as engineer at CATS, has been arrested from Nov. 11, according to the arrest warrant of prosecutor of Phnom Penh Municipality Court.

Cambodia has charged Siwarak of having had confidential information affecting Cambodia's national security, a senior Thai official said Wednesday.

According to a news report by the Khmer language newspaper Rasmei Kampuchea, Siwarak spied through copying the letters of flights of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Cambodia and Prime Minister Hun Sen from CATS -- Cambodia Air Traffic Services Co Ltd which has duties to control all flights in country and he sent those reports to Thailand.

Siwarak has been detained in a prison in Phnom Penh since last week as the Thai government is now in the process of seeking a release for him.

Thailand and Cambodia have downgraded their diplomatic relations due to conflict over an appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to Cambodia's government and Prime Minister Hun Sen on Nov.4.

A day after the appointment of Thaksin, the Cambodian government announced recall of its ambassador to Thailand in a move to respond to the Thai government's recall of its ambassador to Cambodia.

Thaksin was ousted by the military coup in September 2006, in accusation of corruption, and has been kept in exile since then.

He returned to Thailand in February 2008 to face corruption charges, but he later fled into exile again and was convicted in absentia.

November 19, 2009
Xinhua

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Thailand 'extending every effort' to help Thai detained in Cambodia

BANGKOK, Nov 19 (TNA) - The Thai government has extended every effort to help Thai engineer detained on espionage charges in Cambodia as close coordination carried out between legal officers at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and his employer, affirmed Dr Panitan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister.

Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS) employee Siwarak Chutipong, 31, was arrested in Phnom Penh on spying charges last week when he was discovered releasing Thaksin Shinawatra’s flight schedule to a Thai embassy official in Phnom Penh.

Dr Panitan, who is also acting government spokesman, told reporters that Thailand's agencies concerned had working together to help release Mr Siwarak.

As for the report that Cambodian soldiers raided the CATS office, Dr Panitan said he believed it was done under Cambodian legal procedures to find evidence to support the accusation.

He added that the incident was not serious to the extent that the Cambodian government would revoke the CATS contract.

CATS is wholly-owned by the Samart Corporation and received a concession from the Cambodian government to supply aeronautical radio and air traffic control services to Cambodia.

Asked whether convicted ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra posted gossip on twitter, a social networking website, that he would visit the Thai-Cambodian border, would cause more problem, Mr Panitan said the government did not want the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia to further deteriorated further.

However, the former premier would be arrested if he entered Thai soil and stayed at border line in the northeastern region, he said.

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva affirmed that the government would care for Thai investors in Cambodia.

The control of CATS by Cambodian authorities and Thai employees were not allowed to enter the company was considered the Cambodian security measure as the Thai engineer's charge involved its national security, he said.

He had asked to Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see the agreement on investor protection and CATS planned to later consult with the ministry on how to protect its concession in Cambodia.

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Cambodia takes over Thailand-run company as row deepens

Cambodia has taken over the running of the country's Thai-owned air traffic control firm, in a deepening row between the two neighbouring countries.

Cambodia also barred all Thai employees from turning up for work and put a Cambodian national in temporary charge.

The move comes a day after a Thai engineer working for the firm in Phnom Penh was formally charged with spying.

It is said he passed on details of last week's flight to Cambodia by former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Thaksin, who is wanted in Thailand to serve a jail sentence for corruption, spent five days in Cambodia in his new role as an economic adviser.

'Seizing firm'

On Thursday, the government in Phnom Penh appointed a senior Cambodian civil servant in temporary charge of Cambodia Air Traffic Services (Cats) - a Thai-owned and Thai-operated firm.

It also suspended all Thai nationals from performing their duties.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya urged Cambodia to respect bilateral deals, regulating the running of Cats.

"The ministry is waiting for reports from the Thai embassy and we will also have to get clarification from the Cambodian government. If it violates bilateral agreements, then we will find way to proceed," the minister told reporters.

"Cambodia is a market economy. Just seizing (a firm) would not seem right," he added.

Internal politics

Phnom Penh's move is said to be temporary pending the outcome of a legal case against a Thai engineer who works for the company, the BBC's Rachel Harvey in Bangkok reports.

Siwarak Chothipong, 31, a Cats employee, was on Wednesday charged with spying.

He is currently under arrest, accused of passing the flight details of Mr Thaksin to a Thai diplomat.

Mr Thaksin's presence across the border infuriated the Thai government, which claims he should have been extradited to serve a two-year jail term.

The former Thai prime minister was ousted in a coup in 2006, and subsequently found guilty in absentia on conflict of interest charges.

Local newspaper reports in Thailand suggest the current Thai government and Mr Thaksin are now competing to offer help to the detained engineer and his family, our correspondent says.

Rachel Harvey adds that this is an indication that the row is as much about the internal politics of Thailand as it is about cross-border rivalries.

Thursday, 19 November 2009
BBC News

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Kasit: P.Penh must follow the law

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya insisted on Thursday that Cambodia must comply with the law after Phnom Penh banned Thai nationals from working at Cambodian Air Traffic Services (CATS), which is operated by Thailand's Samart Corporation.

The Cambodian government has ordered the air traffic control company to replace all Thai workers with Cambodians and has seized all the company's equipment.

Mr Kasit said any action against the company and its employees must be strictly according to the law, and comply with Cambodia's investment and internal regulations.

"As for Thailand, we'll wait for reports from the Thai embassy to Phnom Pehn. We hope that we'll receive factual information from Cambodia and the [Samart] company," he said.

"If the Cambodian action does not follow the terms of the bilateral agreement between our two countries, we'll have to find other ways to continue."

The Foreign Ministry had sent the Consular Affairs Department deputy director-general to see the mother of Thai engineer Siwarak Chutiphong, who was arrested by the Cambodian government last week on spying charges.

Mr Kasit said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had promised Mr Siwarak's mother that he will visit her detained son.

He said the government had to wait for Cambodia's confirmation of a time for the meeting with Mr Siwarak. The ministry had also hired a lawyer to liaise with the company about the problem.

"There are, however, no problems in Thai-Cambodian relations," he insisted.

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