Thursday, February 17, 2011

Veera, Ratree to seek royal pardon

17 Feb, 2011
Source: Bangkok Post

The government will be asked to seek a royal pardon from the Cambodian king for Veera Somkwamkid, a Thai Patriots Network coordinator, and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, who are serving a jail sentence after a Phnom Penh court convicted them of illegal entry and espionage, TPN lawyer Nathaporn Toprayoon said on Thursday.

Mr Nathaporn said he had dropped plans to file an appeal and seek intervention by an international organisation. His clients' relatives were concerned about their living conditions in prison and wanted them to return to Thailand as soon as possible.

The lawyer also admitted to having encountered problems trying to help the two through legal means, including in lodging an appeal, saying the Cabodian authorities did not cooperate.

The problems had worsened since the Feb 4 clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border, he said.

People's Alliance for Democracy spokesman Panthep Puapongpan said Mr Nathaporn's decision was understandable.

The government had failed in its efforts to help the two although Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had promised to do so, and Mr Veera had been isolated and put under pressure, he said.

Mr Veera and Ms Ratree were among the seven Thais, including Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth, arrested by Cambodian soldiers on Dec 29 for illegal entry and trespassing on a military zone. Two of them, Mr Veera and Ms Ratree, were later additionally charged with spying.

Mr Panich and four other Thais were sentenced to nine months in jail. They were set free and returned to Thailand after the Phnom Penh Municipal Court suspended their remaining jail term.

The court later sentenced Mr Veera to nine years and Ms Ratree to eight years imprisonment after finding them guilty of espionage.

Their lawyers initally planned to file an appeal and seek their release on bail.

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