via CAAI
Friday, December 31, 2010
A Cambodian court charged seven Thais - including a politician - with illegally entering Cambodian territory after they were detained near the countries' disputed border.
"The court has charged them with illegally crossing the border and entering a military area with ill will," said Sok Roeun, deputy prosecutor at Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
The seven, including lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth of the ruling Democrat Party, appeared at a closed-door hearing at the court, a day after being detained.
The incident has rekindled diplomatic tensions between the neighbors over their long-standing border dispute.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva urged Cambodia to free the Thais.
"Cambodia must release all seven Thais immediately," he said. "Cambodia should not take this case to court, as it will further complicate the issue."
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said the Thais, who also include members of the royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement, would be charged and held in prison pending trial.
A Thai court jailed 84 "Yellow Shirts" for storming a TV station in 2008 in protest at a government allied with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
They were handed sentences of between six months and 2 years by Bangkok Criminal Court.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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