Bangkok Post
Writer: King-oua Laohong
Relatives of two Thais imprisoned in Cambodia
for illegal entry and espionage are requesting financial assistance from
the government to cover the costs of travelling to visit them.
Pis-amphai Somkwamkid, the wife of Veera Somkwamkid, the coordinator
of the Thai Patriots Network, and Wichai Pipatanapaiboon, brother of
Ratree Pipatanapaiboon, who is Veera's secretary, submitted their
requests for financial aid yesterday.
The requests were lodged with the Justice Ministry's Rights and
Liberties Protection Department, which has a so-called "Justice Fund" to
provide financial assistance to relatives of imprisoned persons.
The requests would be considered by the committee governing the fund
on Friday, said Pol Col Narach Sawetanant, director-general of the
Rights and Liberties Department.
Pol Col Narach warned, however, that the fund's panel would likely
not approve the request because it involved a foreign country.
He said the pair have been jailed in Cambodia for almost two years
and his department, along with the Corrections Department, were in the
process of requesting their transfer back to Thailand.
Thailand and Cambodia have a treaty on prisoner transfers.
Veera and Ratree were arrested with five other Thais, including
then-Democrat Party MP Panich Vikitsreth, on Dec 29, 2010 while
inspecting a disputed border zone near Sa Kaeo's Ban Nongchan area.
They are currently being held in Prey Sar Prison near Phnom Penh
after being sentenced to eight and six years jail, respectively, on
charges of espionage and illegal entry.
The Thai government has asked Cambodia several times to seek royal
pardons for the pair, but Phnom Penh insists the two have to serve at
least two-thirds of their prison terms before a royal pardon could be
considered.
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