Sivarak's mother allowed to visit him

Bail hearing for jailed engineer set for Dec 8

Published: 26/11/2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The mother of Sivarak Chutipong, the Thai engineer who is being detained in a Cambodian jail on charges of spying, will be allowed to meet him tomorrow, says Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the foreign minister.

The Cambodian government will permit Simarak na Nakhon Phanom to meet her son at Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh, he said yesterday. It was not clear when Mrs Simarak would leave for Cambodia. Mr Sivarak's younger brother, Phongsuree, would accompany his mother on the visit.

Liberties and Rights Protection Department director-general Suvana Suwannajuta said a Cambodian court will consider on Dec 8 whether to grant bail to the Cambodia Air Traffic Service engineer.

A Justice Ministry official hoped that in the event the court finds him guilty, Mr Sivarak could be sent back to Thailand to serve his sentence, based on cooperation agreements which exist between the Thai and Cambodian justice ministries.

Mr Sivarak was arrested on charges of supplying details of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight schedule to the Thai embassy when Thaksin visited Phnom Penh earlier this month.

The official hoped the Justice Ministry's good relationship and cooperation with its Cambodian counterpart would help get Mr Sivarak back home.

They include the agreement struck on June 12 between Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, where Cambodia agreed to send two Thai Muslims who were linked to the militant group Jemaah Islamiyah and were convicted of plotting attacks on Western embassies in Phnom Penh in 2004, to serve the rest of their prison sentences in Thailand.

Cambodians serving prison terms in Thailand have been returned as part of the deal.

Speaking after a meeting with Cambodian justice officials, deputy permanent secretary for justice Thawee Sodsong said Cambodian Justice Minister Ang Vongvathna promised to ensure justice for Mr Sivarak.

"The justice ministries of the two countries will make use of their good relations to ensure justice for the Thai suspect, and it seems our negotiations [so far] have been a success," Pol Col Thawee said.