KH KOMPONG CHAM

Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Like Baghdad Bob, Tith Sothea now earns the title of "Phnom Penh Dick"


Top: Baghdad Bob, Saddam Hussein's mouthpiece
Bottom: Phnom Penh Dick, Saddam HunXen's mouthpiece
The following communique issued by the Press and Quick Reaction Unit (PQRU) of the Phnom Penh dictatorial regime, lambasted Radio Free Asia (RFA) for broadcasting a report critical of Cambodia's dictator, Saddam HunXen (a translation in English is provided by Khmerization here). The PQRU accused RFA, which is funded by the US government, of serving the opposition party and others who are critical of Cambodia's dictatorial regime. Such report by the PQRU flies in the face of Hun Xen regime's boasting of absolute popularity in Cambodia when it is in fact a crumbling popularity facade. As for the PQRU claim of Hun Xen being a "World Stateman", all dictators in the world had lay claim to that title until the day they are removed from power. Maybe it is time for Hun Xen to find a more intelligent mouthpiece to replace the cavemen-mentality crew working at the PQRU.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Agriculture Ministry Issues Guidelines for Export to China
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 18 January 2011
"The guidelines will help reduce poverty in rural areas by increasing their export potential."
The Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday began circulating a new procedure for the export of rice and cassava to China, in an effort to bring cleaner and higher-quality production to meet import requirements.

The new guidelines focus on the elimination of insects, hygiene standards, proper documentation and other requirements for export to China.

Kith Seng, an undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Agriculture, said the new circular was meant to "protect Cambodia's interest" as well as its trade partner in accordance with an export agreement signed between the two countries last year.


The guidelines will help reduce poverty in rural areas by increasing their export potential, he said.

Cheang Kim, director of the Bayon Rice Trading company, said the requirements are not complicated and represent "good news" for farmers.

Cambodia produced a milled rice surplus of nearly 2.5 million tons last year, and officials hope to increase its export potential in coming years, especially in trade agreements with China.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Asean Countries Seek More Visitors Closer To Home
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 18 January 2011
"Now our focus is Asean and partners Korea, Japan, China, and India as well."
With Europe mired in economic woes, Asean tourism officials said Tuesday they hope to promote visits from within the region as well as Asia to help grow the sector in coming years.

"Now our focus is Asean and partners Korea, Japan, China, and India as well," Jero Wacik, Indonesia's tourism minister, told reporters following a 10th annual tourism conference in Phnom Penh. "If these countries come to Asean, it will give us revenue."

European countries, traditionally a large source of visitors, have yet to recover from the financial crisis, he said. "That's why we focus on Asean, plus three members, plus one, as our main market."


Officials would like to see 87 million visitors traveling across Southeast Asia by 2015. Already, some 70 million come to the region for travel, with approximately 10 million from China, Japan and South Korea.

With the improvement of infrastructure, that number could reach as high as 90 million by 2015, said Sunram Pushpanathan, deputy secretary-general for Asean. That goal would mean "regional products, joint marketing, building up human resources and accelerating trade facilitation," he said.

Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon said Asean countries were considering adding more direct flights to the "three tigers in Asia" to lure more visitors.

South Korea counted 3 million outbound visitors to Asean countries last year, while it brought in approximately 1 million from the region, said Mo Chul Min, South Korea's vice minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism. More direct flights would increase those numbers, he said. Direct flights from Seoul to Siem Reap, for example, provided 200,000 Korean visitors to Cambodia, he said.

Lin Shan, director general of China's tourism administration, said he envisioned further cooperation in areas like tourism product manufacturing, itinerary design and an "improved tourism environment."
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Four More Thais Released Ahead of Trial


Thai activists, from right, Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, Veera Somkwamkid, Kochpontorn Chusanaseree, Samdin Lersbusya, eat breakfast at Phnom Penh Appeal Court, on Tuesday. (Photo: AP)
Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Tuesday, 18 January 2011
"During my detention in jail, no one hurt me. And we were all detained together in one room."
The Cambodian Appeals Court on Tuesday let free on bail four more Thais arrested for alleged illegal border crossing, but they kept one in jail who is also facing charges of espionage.

The decision overruled a ruling by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week to hold five of seven Thais arrested in December in Banteay Meanchey province.

Veera Somkwamkid, a leader of the "yellow shirt" People's Alliance for Democracy, was not granted bail. He is facing charges of illegal entry, trespassing on military land and for gathering evidence against the state of Cambodia.


His assistant, Ratrea Paiputanapaiboon, who is also facing espionage charges, was released along with three others Tuesday, for a bail posting of around $250 each.

That brings a total of six Thais who will have to remain under the custody of the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh ahead of trials, which are expected to begin soon. The high-profile case, which includes a Thai member of parliament, has sparked protests in Thailand. The Thai delegation has said it was investigating claims of Cambodian border encroachment and was not aware it had crossed into Cambodia.

Appeals Court judge Choun Sunleng did not say why he had decided to keep Veera in jail.

Outside the courtroom Tuesday morning, Veera told reporters, in Thai language, he did not agree with the decision. "I will continue my case until the end," he said.

Defense lawyers said they welcomed the release, but declined further comment.

Samdin Lersbusya, 57, told reporters after his release he was grateful to the court. "And also thanks to the Thai media that has taken care of us," he said in Thai. "During my detention in jail, no one hurt me. And we were all detained together in one room."

Sowat Kaewsook, minister of counsel for the Thai Embassy, said the defendants would be brought to court on the trial date.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Inspiration to fight for freedom
January 19, 2011
By A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
PACIFIC DAILY NEWS
"If man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression," the world's nations warned as they proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. "It is essential ... that human rights should be protected by the rule of law."

Tibetan Buddhist leader, the 14th Dalai Lama posited: "Peace can only last where human rights are respected, where people are fed, and where individuals and nations are free," and "it is the inherent right of all beings to yearn for freedom, equality and dignity, and they have an equal right to achieve that."

The concept of equal rights to freedom, equality and dignity was what drew me to study the ideals of America's republicanism when I set foot on U.S. college campus almost 50 years ago: equal rights, equal opportunity, equal treatment.

I continue to be awed by the work of Presidnet Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the self-evident truths, "that all men are created equal ... with certain unalienable rights," and who envisioned an "Empire of Liberty" for America that would uphold republicanism to counter British imperialism. I wanted nothing less for myself, and thought my countrymen should not be denied those truths.

The power of one

Robert F. Kennedy recalled how in history the work of a single person had created great movements of thought and action that swept the world.


Just so, I look for ways to inspire readers to action. A politician from Massachusetts and former president of Harvard University, Edward Everett, wrote, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."I have written frequently about how it's possible to disintegrate a dictatorship.

I write to impart and share what I know, to encourage and inspire. But, in the final analysis, Andrew Carnegie's words say it all: "You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb it himself."

Perseverance

Last month, my wife and I watched the 2002 award winning film, "Whale Rider," about a 12-year old Maori girl's perseverance and determination to overturn the tradition of the Whangara people that dictated only males can be leaders.

Attempts to find a proper male successor failed. The young girl believed she could be the next leader, yet tradition forbade a woman leader; her grandfather was bound by tradition to pick a male leader.

It's a moving story about a grandfather's unyielding stubbornness and hurt; a grand-daughter's love for him and determination to prove her natural leadership ability; life's realities and change; and faith's miracles.

The movie shows change is possible. In the movie's finale, the young girl was celebrated as their leader by the village people and by her grandfather.

Last year, I wrote a column about a humorous award-winning British animated film "Chicken Run." The chickens on evil Mrs. Tweedy's farm dream of a better life outside of a chicken coop that looks like a World War II prisoner of war camp -- surrounded by barbed wire, patrolled by Mr. Tweedy and his ferocious dogs.

I was fascinated to observe what excited my grandchildren, and other children, as they watched the film: A clever hen named Ginger who, though she ends up again and again in solitary in the coal shed, never stops looking for ways to escape to be free.

I caught myself cheering along with the children -- as the chickens in the movie also cheer -- ringleader Ginger's vow: "We either die free chickens or die trying."

A year later, one of my grandsons, then 10, who sees a struggle to be free as inherently human, assured me, "perseverance brings success!"

Inspiration

Clint Eastwood's 2009 film, "Invictus," in which Morgan Freeman plays the role of South Africa's president Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon is the country's white Springboks rugby team captain, Francois Pienaar, is inspiring.

Mandela, an anti-apartheid activist was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to life in prison and performed hard labor for 27 years. He condemned the white Springboks. He said a poem "Invictus" -- Latin for "unconquered" -- inspired him "to stand when all I wanted to do was to lie down. ... I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."

Domestic and external pressures saw his release from jail at age 72. Four years later, Mandela became South Africa's first black president. He wanted then for the white Springboks rugby team to win the third Rugby World Cup in 1995 as a unifying event for his nation. So the black leader and the white rugby team captain joined forces to help unite their racially divided people to support the Springboks as South Africa's rugby team.

Last year, the theme "Rise and rise again until lambs become lions," which encourages to never give up fighting for the cause of liberty -- to persevere, rise and rise again until lions are born out of docile lambs, and liberty is achieved -- emerged in the 2010 adventure film, "Robin Hood," with Russell Crowe as Robin Longstride who fought in 13th century England against the crown and became the symbol of the people's freedom.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Baby Hor on his barking mission ... yet again: This time it's the BBC's turn to get his ire


Hor 5 Bora (aka Baby Hor)
Response to Ms Gwyneth Williams of BBC Radio 4 January 13, 2011

Ms Gwyneth Williams
Controller
BBC Radio 4
Broadcasting House
London W1A 1AA

Dear Ms Williams,
On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, I am writing to express concern and disappointment with the Radio 4 programme, “Crossing Continents” which was broadcast on January 13, 2011.

While giving the superficial appearance of being unbiased and even-handed, your reporter Mukul Devichand appeared to be pursuing a very clear agenda; the intention being to discredit the Royal Government of Cambodia and sully its reputation.

In his article to complement the programme which appeared on several BBC websites, Mr Devichand’s argument that Cambodia is a “Country for Sale” seemed to bear an uncomfortable similarity to the ferocious and malicious allegations made against the Cambodian Government in recent years by the international pressure group, Global Witness.

One can only hope that the BBC has not been misled by this politically-motivated and discredited body which seems to specialize in spouting ever more irresponsible statements and misinformation.


The issue of land allocation and management in Cambodia is delicate and complicated and there are no easy solutions. You may be aware that during the Khmer Rouge regime all land deeds were burned which has meant the whole torturous process of establishing rightful ownership has had to be started again from scratch.

I can assure you however that the Royal Government of Cambodia is doing everything it can to speed up the process of land registration and is totally committed to issuing documents to ordinary citizens. To date, more than two million such land deeds have been dispatched. Steady progress is also being made by Cambodia’s Cadastral Commission in resolving land disputes involving farmers and other households. By 2015 it is expected that 65% of all land in Cambodia will have been re-registered, with 48.75% owned by individual farmers. So to give the impression (as your programme did) that the Government is actively favouring foreign investors at the expenses of its own citizens is completely false.

At the same time, the Royal Government of Cambodia is happy to acknowledge the importance of opening up opportunities to foreign investors in order to improve the management of state-owned lands which will help Cambodia achieve its national goal of eliminating poverty by improving food production and the security of its national resources.

I appreciate if the content of this letter could be broadly broadcasted and circulated.


Yours Sincerely,

Hor Nambora
Ambassador of Cambodia to the Court of St James’s
London, United Kingdom
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Prime Minister says, Cambodia’s GDP growth higher in Y 2010
January 18, 2011
Paul A. Ebeling, Jnr.
www.livetradingnews.com
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday that the country’s GDP growth in Y 2010 is 5.5%, higher than March’s forecast of 5%.

The growth rate is higher than the forecast by the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank at 4.8%, 5% and 4.9% respectively.

“Y 2010 was a good year for Cambodian economy with a significant growth of approximately 5.5%, attributive to the growth in tourism, agriculture and garment,” the premier said on Tuesday evening during the official opening of the 30th ASEAN Tourism Forum.

Last year, Cambodia achieved tourism growth of 16% with International tourist arrivals of around 2.5 million, he said.

The premier projects that Cambodia’s poverty line will go down to 19.5% by Y 2015 from 30% and 27.4% in Y 2007 and 2009 respectively.—
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
200 march in Philly to protest deportation of four Cambodians

Tue, Jan. 18, 2011
By Michael Matza
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer
Linking their demonstration to the human-rights theme of Martin Luther King's Birthday, about 200 members of pro-immigrant groups marched Monday from Center City to the regional offices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to protest the pending deportation of four Cambodian men.
Outside the office at 1600 Callowhill St., they festooned a fence with placards - "Stop Tearing Families Apart" - and hundreds of yellow ribbons.

"Education, not deportation," they chanted.

Rallying the crowd through a bullhorn, Desi Burnette of Media Mobilizing Project, a co-organizer of the march, said the men facing deportation were "heroes" to her because they made serious mistakes and learned from them.

The four were born in Cambodia or Southeast Asian refugee camps after their families fled the Khmer Rouge and the Pol Pot regime. They and their parents were admitted legally to the United States as refugees about 25 years ago.


As youths and young adults, they committed aggravated assaults and other crimes. They were convicted, served time in prison, and now face expulsion. ICE agents arrested them last September.

Authorities say they are "criminal aliens" and by law must be removed. Their defenders say they are rehabilitated and deserve another chance to remain in America.

Demonstrator Steve Scaffone, pastor of Living Water Church in the city's Logan section, said his congregation of about 50 people is mostly Cambodian. He said he found it "ironic" that he learned about the four men on the same day that Eagles coach Andy Reid announced that convicted dog-fighter Michael Vick would be his starting quarterback - saying in effect "that our country is all about second chances."

After the four Cambodians were detained, their supporters formed the One Love Movement to Keep Families Together.

One Love cofounder Joe Hanzsum said he hoped that when ICE officials returned to work Tuesday they would see the ribbons and "take another look at these cases."

"Are they really a threat to society? If they are, I'm with you: Deport them," he said. "But if they are not, give them a second chance."

The protest included the Asian Student Association of Philadelphia; Central High School's Students Against Unjust Deportation; the United Taxi Workers Alliance; and other groups.

Citing King's famous 1963 "Letter From Birmingham Jail" - in which he wrote about the difference between just and unjust laws - the demonstrators released a Dec. 4 letter from York County Prison written by 30-year-old Chally Dang, one of the men facing deportation.

"I entered the United States as an infant, made my mistakes as a juvenile and was punished for those mistakes as a young adult," he wrote. "And as I now embrace life as a reformed, tax-paying civilian, the actions of my past still haunt me with what my fate might be. I can only implore mercy from a system in which I trust forgiveness and second chances still exist."
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Immigrant-rights advocates protest 'unjust' deportation on MLK Day


Tue, Jan. 18, 2011
By JULIE SHAW
Philadelphia Daily News
CARRYING signs that blared "Stop Unjust Deportation," more than 200 immigrant-rights advocates took to the streets yesterday to rally against what they see as civil-rights injustices.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, they marched to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, at 16th and Callowhill streets, raising their voices for Chally Dang, for Mout Iv, for Davy Phean, for Vanney Van.

The four Cambodian immigrants sit in York County Prison, detained by ICE. They had been welcomed into this country as refugees and became legal permanent residents.

But each had committed a crime, and although they served their prison times, under 1996 immigration laws they are deportable back to Cambodia without a hearing before an immigration judge on the merits of their cases.


Before the march, supporters gathered at the Arch Street United Methodist Church, on North Broad Street, where state Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., told them: "Martin Luther King loved demonstrations. . . . It is clear members of the Cambodian community and others being deported for crimes committed in the past . . . should not be deported."

The Rev. Robin Hynicka, church pastor, said that community service on MLK Day "just doesn't cut it." Instead, what the immigrant-rights groups were doing - standing up for human rights, protesting - is what makes "life worth living for me," he said.

Dang was 15 when he committed an aggravated assault. He served five-plus years in prison.

He is now 28, married and a father of four kids, ages 3 months to 6 years. He was working for a vending company when he and his fellow Cambodians were detained in Sept. 21. He now awaits deportation to Cambodia - a country he has never set foot in. Dang was born in a Thailand refugee camp.

"The person he was when he was 15, he's not that person anymore," his wife, Ana Maria Cruz, 27, said as she stood outside the ICE office, which was closed yesterday.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Cambodia's Trade with China up 41.5 pct in 2010 [-Huge trade deficit for Cambodia!]
2011-01-18
Xinhua
Bilateral trades between Cambodia and China increased 41.5 percent in 2010 compared with that of 2009, official statistics showed on Tuesday.

The two countries' total trade volume hit 1.12 billion U.S. dollars in 2010, up 41.5 percent from about 791 million U.S. dollars in 2009, according to the statistics from the department of statistics and planning of the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday.

Of the figure, Cambodia's exports to China worth 56.8 million U. S. dollars, increased nearly four folds from 15 million U.S. dollars in 2009 and Cambodia's imports from China reached 1.07 billion U.S. dollars, up 37.8 percent from 776 million U.S. dollars in 2009.


The increase in trade volume is due to the economic recovery.

Cambodia's main imports from China are garment raw materials, machinery, foodstuffs, electronics, furniture, light products, medicines and cosmetics while Cambodia's main exports to China are agricultural products, rubbers, fishery, timbers, and some garments and textiles.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Restraint, not rhetoric, needed to free Thai detainees
January 19, 2011
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Loud nationalistic slogans from the so-called "patriots" will do nothing to help save the seven Thai nationals facing prosecution in Phnom Penh. In fact, these slogans might worsen the situation because Cambodia could interpret them as direct threats to its security.

If activists in Thailand desisted from trying to turn it into a boundary dispute, Phnom Penh could treat it as a normal trespassing case and issue a speedy verdict, and let the seven off leniently. The release of two of the detainees on bail last week was a test for the Thai side - whether they will keep it simple or complicate matters.

The cases of Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth and yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid are two extreme examples.

Both were part of the same group of seven who were arrested on December 29 for allegedly inspecting the disputed area near Ban Nong Chan in Sa Kaew province. Initially, all seven faced the same charges - trespassing and unlawfully entering a military zone - which is punishable with 18 months in prison.


In his testimony, Panich said he had crossed the border by accident, compared to Veera, who insisted that he was arrested on Thai territory and that the area belonged to Thailand. Panich and yellow-shirt activist Narumol Jittawarattana were granted bail last Thursday, while Veera will be spending more time in Prey Sar prison.

The other four had obviously learned their lesson; they adopted the right approach, cooperated with the court and ended up getting bail yesterday.

Still, granting bail does not bring the case to an end. The six temporarily out of jail need to stay in Cambodia until the trial, the date for which has not been set yet.

Now, reaction from the people in Thailand would be important and critical for the verdict. If Thais see the case as no more than a normal illegal entry, then it could be treated as a simple trespassing case in accordance with the Cambodian immigration law. However, if the people here see this case as a territorial dispute, then it could become complicated, with Cambodia considering it a threat to its national security.

The so-called group of patriots and the yellow-shirt movement most probably want to make this case bigger than it should be. They insist that the seven were on Thai territory and are singing Veera's praises, calling him a hero who is fighting to protect the motherland. They are trying to push the government to take the same stand by rallying in front of Government House as well as lodging a petition with the Palace, asking His Majesty to intervene. They are also calling on many senior government office holders, including Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, to step down.

Several yellow-shirt leaders are also using this as an opportunity to accuse the government of failing to protect Thailand and its sovereignty, as some demand that the government scrap the memorandum of understanding on boundary demarcation signed in 2000. Meanwhile, some crazy nationalists want the military to kick out Cambodian communities living in the disputed boundary area, and one "patriotic" academic is taking things further by claiming that it was a Thai king who built the great Angkor Wat in the early 12th century.

Some media activists have also jumped on to the nationalistic bandwagon and are now floating unconfirmed reports about military deployment in border areas - increasing tension between the two countries.

Though all these moves are aimed at putting pressure on the government, they are also sending confusing signals to Phnom Penh. It appears as if Thais would much rather have a conflict with the neighbouring country rather than maintain good relations and cooperate to solve the problem.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Defiant Veera in jail alone
January 19, 2011
THE NATION
Four others get bail but activist is seen by Cambodia as threat to public order, govt says

Nationalist activist Veera Somkwamkid was left alone behind bars yesterday after the Cambodian Appeal Court agreed to grant bail for four other Thais detained in Prey Sar prison.

Foreign Ministry secretary Chavanond Intarakomalayasut said the provocative nationalist was seen by the Cambodians as a figure with the potential to hurt public order.

Veera has been charged with illegal entry into Cambodia, unlawfully entering a military zone, and espionage for trespassing and collecting information that could hurt Cambodian security.

"The Cambodian Appeal Court rejected the bail request, to keep him in prison and ensure public security and his own safety," Chavanond said.


However, Veera's aide Ratree Pipatanapaiboon - who faces the same charges- was granted bail yesterday after she gave her word to the court not to flee from Cambodia and to reappear in the court when she summoned.

Looking very serious when leaving the court after the decision yesterday morning, Veera shouted to waiting media: "I alone was not granted bail. I [will] keep fighting until the end."

Veera appeared to not cooperate with the court by refusing to testify through a Cambodian translator arranged by the court. He requested a new one from the Thai embassy.

His lawyers were now working on another appeal to the Cambodian Supreme Court to reverse the decision and have him freed on bail, Chavanond said. But it was unclear whether there would be a chance for a second appeal. The lawyer had 15 days to work out Veera's case, he said.

The Thai Embassy paid the bail for each of the freed accused and took them from Prey Sar prison to stay inside the embassy in Phnom Penh, Chavanond said.

They cannot return to Thailand but must stay until the end of the case, which Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva expected to be settled before the end of the month.

Veera, together with yellow-shirt activists and ruling Democrat Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth, were arrested near Sa Kaew province's Ban Nong Chan while inspecting the disputed border area on December 26.

They were charged with illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military zone - two charges that could result in up to 18 months in jail. Veera and Ratree face an additional charge of spying that could see them jailed for up to 10 years if convicted.

Panich and Narumol Chitwara-tana were granted bail last Thursday and are also at the Thai embassy, waiting for the trial.

Ratree told reporters she felt better after getting bail, better than being held in the prison, although she did not know about the future.

Samdin Lertbutr from the Buddhist group Santi Asok said he told the Cambodian court he crossed the border unintentionally and had cooperated with the court during the trial. "I don't know when the verdict will be handed down. I miss my family so much now," he said.

Prime Minister Abhisit said he phoned Samdin in Phnom Penh to ask about the well-being of the group and assured him the government would continue to support their colleague Veera.

Samdin is a member of the Thai Patriots Network, which, backed by Santi Asok, plans to stage a rally against Abhisit's government over the dispute and the detained Thais.

The group wants the government to put more pressure on Phnom Penh to have the seven freed without prosecution. They insist the group was arrested on territory belonging to Thailand. They have called for Abhisit and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya step down for "failing" to help their "patriotic" fellows.

The government, however, says the group did cross the border.

Abhisit said he would allow the Cambodian court to function and hoped only for a speedy verdict with lenient treatment for the Thais. The Thai government would take action only after the court's decision, he said but declined to say what it would do.

Veera was briefly held once before, when he entered the same disputed border location in August last year.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Thai ambassador's account
January 19, 2011
The Nation
The Nation's Noppatjak Attanon joined other reporters to interview Thai Ambassador to Cambodia Prasas Prasasvinitchai yesterday about the case in Phnom Penh involving seven Thais.

What are the conditions for bail given to the four Thais yesterday?
They cannot leave Cambodia and have to report as summoned.

Where will the six [including the two who got bail earlier] stay?
The six are happy to stay in the house [within the compound] that the embassy prepared for them. I have told them that they can go outside [the embassy compound] but they insist on staying in. They have even asked others to do their grocery shopping.

What is their mental state?
They are all in a good condition, especially after they were bailed out. Samdin [Lertbut] has a bit of cold, while Panich [Vikitsreth] has developed an allergy to insects in the Prey Sar prison. Bugs bit him on the head and his body [he is not infested by lice as initially reported]. He has had to shave off his hair, but is under treatment. Narumol [Jitrawarattana] has a thyroid problem and has already been examined. The three others [Tainae Mungmajon, Kitponthorn Chusnasevee and Ratree Pitpattanapaibul] are all healthy.


Is there any chance of the media talking to Panich?
Panich insists that he doesn't want to talk to the media, because he doesn't want the court to set more bail conditions.

What did Panich say for you to tell the media?
He said that firstly, he had no intention of trespassing into Cambodian soil. Secondly, he respects the justice system of every country he visits, including that of Cambodia. And thirdly, he did not mean to have any adverse impact on Thai-Cambodian ties.

What is the court's explanation for not granting bail to Veera [Somkwamkid]?
The court said the reason was to prevent possible public unrest and to provide safety for him. I do not question the court. In case of dissatisfaction, an appeal should be filed in accordance with the law.

Will Veera appeal?
An appeal should be filed in 15 days, though I'm not sure if an appeal would be allowed in this case. In some cases, an appeal to the Supreme Court is not allowed during a court trial. The lawyers are looking into the legal provisions.

What happened while the seven were in jail?
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya instructed us [the Thai embassy] to take care of the seven Thais the best we could. We coordinated for food to be sent to them from outside, which is not allowed normally. Also, visits by relatives are normally not allowed during a court trial.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
[Thai] PM: Government will at all costs bring seven Thais back home
BANGKOK, Jan 18 (MCOT online news) -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva today pledged that his government would go to any length to help return the seven Thais detained in Cambodia back home and said he believed that the legal case would be concluded soon.

The Cambodian Court of Appeals on Tuesday granted the bail petition for four remaining Thai detainees, except for Veera Somkwamkid, coordinator of the Thai Patriots Network, who is still being held in Prey Sar Prison.

Mr Abhisit said he was informed about the latest Cambodian court's order and that he personally talked with 2nd Lt Samdin Lertbutr, one of the four Thais released on bail.


The premier said Lt Samdin told him that the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has taken very good care of them and that the Thai Foreign Ministry would send more physicians to give medical care to the released Thais.

"We only have had a general discussion," Mr Abhisit said. "I have not asked him to contact the Thai Patriots Network now rallying in front of Government House to get it to understand the government's stance."

Mr Abhisit said he believed the case could be concluded soon. After the Cambodian court gives its verdict, the government will then evaluate the situation before deciding its next move.

The premier said he has no idea or details on why Mr Veera's petition was rejected, but the Cambodian court must have reasons to support its decision.

Mr Abhisit said he could not comment on a possible petition for a royal pardon, but his government has prepared every possible option to secure their release. Once the court hands down its verdict, he would clarify it to the public.

The Cambodian court last Friday rejected earlier bail requests for the five Thais then still detained in a Cambodian jail, after allowing bail for Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth and Naruemol Chitwaratana of the People’s Network Against Corruption and Santi Asoke networks on Thursday.

The seven were arrested Dec 29 by the Cambodian authorities for illegal entry into Banteay Meanchey province.

The Thai detainees faced two initial charges -- illegal entry into the Cambodian kingdom, with possible punishment of three to six months jail and deportation, and also trespass on a Cambodian military zone, punishable by three to six months jail and Bt7,500-15,000 in fines, while the spying charges could result in five to 10 year imprisonment.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Thai police arrest protest leader involved in 2008 airport seizures
Jan 18, 2011
DPA
Bangkok - Thai police on Tuesday arrested a leader of the protest movement that seized Bangkok's two airports in 2008, costing the country billions of dollars in lost tourism and trade revenue.

Chaiwat Sinsuwong, a former leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), was arrested while eating lunch at a Bangkok supermarket on charges of illegally occupying Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport from November 27 to December 3, 2008.

The PAD, also called the yellow shirts for the colour of its protest apparel, held street protests for seven months in Bangkok to try to topple the then-government, led by the People's Power Party. The party was openly supportive of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.


The weeklong seizure of the airports ended after Thailand's Constitutional Court disbanded the party for election fraud, paving the way for a new government.

The PAD leaders were charged with seizing public property but have never been brought to trial and sentenced.

'I intended to get arrested,' Chaiwat said. He claimed he was on his way to police headquarters to turn himself in when he was nabbed by police.

Earlier Tuesday, Chaiwat led hundreds of protestors to the Grand Palace to petition King Bhumibol Adulyadej to look into the government's mismanagement of a border spat with neighbouring Cambodia.

The PAD claim to be royalists, but their detractors charged they have dragged the monarchy into Thai politics. Yellow is supposed to be the lucky colour of the king.

Chaiwat is also a core leader of the Thai Patriots Network, whose main mission is to return the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on the Thai-Cambodian border to Thai control. The World Court on 1962 ruled the temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand still claims a plot of land adjacent to the Hindu site.

Another Thai Patriot Network leader, Veera Somkwankid, was arrested by Cambodian soldiers December 29 after he and six other Thai nationals wandered into Cambodian territory to inspect another disputed border area.

Veera faces charges of both illegally entering Cambodia and spying, for which he could face up to 10 years in prison.

Except for Veera, the other six Thais have been freed on bail although they have been barred from leaving the country.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Dear President Hu: China must meet its global responsibilities
January 18, 2011
By Jamie Metzl, Special to CNN
Editor's note: Jamie Metzl is executive vice president of the Asia Society. He served in the U.S. National Security Council and State Department during the Clinton administration and as a human rights officer with the United Nations in Cambodia. The views expressed are his own.
But if China continues to rise without sufficiently supporting an international system that helps everyone, many aspects of that system will collapse and we will all be worse off.
(CNN) -- Dear President Hu Jintao,

Welcome to the United States. China is a great and ancient civilization, and we are thrilled that your country has made so much progress in so many areas over past decades, that it has brought hundreds of millions out of dire poverty and done so much to promote global economic growth during the recent financial crisis.

At the same time, we are both painfully aware of the rising tensions between our two countries. Many people here in the United States are critical of some of China's actions: its perceived unfair business practices through its currency valuation, subsidies to local manufacturers and weak intellectual property protections, its seeming unwillingness to address nuclear proliferation in North Korea and Iran, its support of extremely abusive regimes, its rapid and opaque military buildup, and its more aggressive posture in the South and East China Seas, to name a few.

Chinese media have been equally critical of America and the West, asserting that we are unfairly blaming China for our own economic challenges and seeking to block China's growth.

Whatever our differences, one thing is absolutely clear. No major global challenge of the 21st century can be addressed without the active collaboration of our two countries.

As much as I respect you and your country, however, forgive me for saying in the spirit of honesty and friendship that we do not believe you are doing enough to promote the global common good. It is natural and healthy for a country to pursue its narrow national interests, but when a country becomes as rich and powerful as China, it must take on new global responsibilities or it ends up, intentionally or not, undermining the international system.

I know that China still has a great deal of poverty and must continue to grow to realize the aspirations of its very talented citizens. But if China continues to rise without sufficiently supporting an international system that helps everyone, many aspects of that system will collapse and we will all be worse off.

Call it the tragedy of the commons. If an overstretched America plays a lesser role in managing world affairs and no one else steps up, we're going to have a big mess that will harm us all.

I hope you won't mind my sharing a few ideas for what you, and China, can do.

It would really go a long way if you would make a major speech at the United Nations articulating your vision of the kind of world that China would like to see in the future, and what your country is willing to do to help build it. If you think that the U.S.-led system of the last six-plus decades has worked well for everyone but needs modifications, you can articulate your concerns and express what you feel should be done to address them. If, on the other hand, you believe that the post-war system is fundamentally flawed and should be replaced, why not describe your alternate vision of how the world should work and what China is willing to do to make it happen?

Of course, I can't promise that we'll like every one of your proposals. But let's have an open, honest, global debate about what the world should look like and who should do what to help make sure the system works for everyone.

Believe me when I say that Americans welcome the rise of China. In many ways it is the ultimate positive expression of the world America helped build out of the ashes of World War II. But we will only continue to feel this way if we believe that a stronger China will make the world safer and more secure.

The more that China can do its part to help build a more balanced global economy, respect intellectual property rights, halt the spread of nuclear weapons, foster military transparency, and strengthen international institutions, the more comfortable the American people and others around the world will be with China's rise.

Working together, our two countries can make the 21st century even more prosperous and secure than the second half of the 20th century has been. Let's use your visit to start a meaningful conversation about what each of us can do, alone and together, to bring this about.

Xie xie,

Uncle Sam

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jamie Metzl.