Sivarak's bail request withdrawn

Published: 4/12/2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Sivarak Chutipong, who has been arrested and detained in Cambodia on spy charges, has withdrawn the bail request submitted earlier by his former lawyer as advised by his newly-appointed attorney, Puea Thai Party member and former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama said on Friday.

Mr Noppadon said the new lawyer advised Mr Sivarak to do so, reasoning that this would expedite the court's consideration of the case.

Because of the bail withdrawal, the court's schedule to decide whether to grant bail today has been cancelled. However, the court will deliver its verdict in the case on Dec 8, he said.

Mr Noppadon said the Puea Thai Party had nothing to do with Mr Sivarak's decision to withdraw the bail request.

According to Mr Noppadon, if the court finds Mr Sivarak guilty, his lawyer would submit a request for a royal pardon. After that both former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Puea Thai chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh would coordinate with the Cambodian government to push for the royal pardon, he added.

Puea Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Simarak na Nakhom Phanom, Mr Sivarak's mother, accompanied by Foreign Ministry officials, will leave for Phnom Penh on Dec 7 to hear the court's verdict on Dec 8.

Kao Soupha, the lawyer appointed by the Foreign Ministry for Mr Sivarak, said he was informed by the Cambodian court yesterday evening that he had been replaced at Mr Sivarak's request.

The lawyer said he did not mind being replaced, saying it was his client's right to do so.

Mr Sivarak, an employee of Thai-owned Cambodia Air Traffic Services, was arrested on November 12 on a charge of spying on former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight information and handing it to Kamrob Palawatwichai, first secretary at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, who was later expelled from Cambodia.

Mr Sivarak admitted to Cambodia's court that he passed Thaksin's flight plan to the diplomat, as he considered the information was no secret. He said he did not know at the beginning that Thaksin was a passenger of the flight, which landed in Phnom Penh November 10.

His arrest was a big blow to the Thai government, which was apparently upset by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's appointment of Thaksin as an economic adviser.

Sour relations between the two governments opened a chance for the opposition Puea Thai Party to steal the show. The party arranged for Mrs Simarak to visit her son for the second time on Dec 2.

On her return from Phnom Penh on Dec 3, Mrs Simarak said she obtained VIP treatment from Cambodian authorities, particularly Deputy Prime Minister Sok An. She then visited Gen Chavalit at the Puea Thai Party office where she revealed her intention to get the lawyer, provided by the Foreign Ministry, replaced.