Thai diplomat to explain role in arrest of Thai employee in Cambodia

BANGKOK, Dec 15 (TNA) – The former first secretary of the Thai embassy in Cambodia, Kamrob Palawatwichai, who telephoned the Thai engineer seeking the flight schedule of ex- premier Thaksin Shinawatra, which led to the arrest of the Thai engineer, will clarify his action to the public in the next few days, acording to acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn.

Mr Kamrob tried to contact Mr Siwarak after he was released and returned to Thailand, Dr Panitan said, but he didn’t know whether they had talked yet.

The spokesman added he believed all sides will understand Mr Kamrob as all information including the flight schedule for which he asked, was not confidential.

Mr Kamrob was expelled from Cambodia after he was found asking Mr Siwarak for Mr Thaksin’s flight plan.

The employee, Siwarak Chutipong, arrived in Bangkok Monday after a month in a Cambodian jail. He was released with a royal pardon.

Mr Siwarak said on his arrival that the case was not a setup as rumours speculated, as the Thai first secretary in Phnom Penh was involved in the case.

The engineer said he could not force the diplomat to call him, but urged Mr Kamrob to tell the public the truth.

Mr Siwarak, an employee of Thai-owned Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), was arrested by Cambodian police on November 12 on charges of espionage–passing to a Thai diplomat information on the flight details of Mr Thaksin during his first visit to Cambodia after being appointed economic adviser.

The Thai employee was later sentenced to seven years jail term and fined Bt100,000 (US$3,000) for releasing Mr Thaksin’s flight details. (TNA)