Saturday, 21 November 2009

Cambodia Clarifies on Thai CATS Workers


Saturday, 21 November 2009 05:13 DAP-NEWS

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

“We have temporarily stopped 9 Thai workers entering and working at the technical room as this duty is responsible for the government leaders’ flight to protect their safety,” Secretary of Council of Ministers Toeuk Ret Samrech told reporters at a press conference on Friday evening.

“The Government is preparing a law and technical working groups to monitor and inspect all CATS processing and then, if all processes of working are normal, the Government will take any measures,” he added.

However, CATS is still working as normal and “we often contact with the company director-general when we have something to ask,” he confirmed.

Internal Security Department Director of Interior Ministry Chhai Sinarith said at the press conference that Sivarak himself had already made a formal confession. “He confessed the time which he contacted to first secretary of Thai embassy in Phnom Penh related to stealing Thaksin’s flight schedules.”

“Following we found all evidence along with two witnesses, one Cambodian and Thai, we cooperated with PP court prosecutors arrested him in Phnom Penh on November 11, 2009.

Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodia Foreign Ministry, told press that the ministry has not expelled any other Thai embassy officials or staff besides Sivarak.

Toeuk Ket Samrech confirmed that all Thai businesses are working as normal.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya insisted on Thursday that everything must be in line with the law after the Cambo- dian Government banned Thai nationals from working at Cambodian Air Traffic Services (CATS), which is operated by Thailand’s Samart Corporation, according to the Bangkok Post.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says he is confident Cambodia’s move to take over air traffic operations from a Thai firm will not worsen the already bitter spat between the two countries.

The prime minister said there was no sign that what happened to Cambodia Air Traffic Service (CATS) would erode the confidence of other Thai businesses operating in the country.

Kasit also challenged the Puea Thai Party to reveal what it claimed was a secret tape recording of his conversation with the embassy in which he allegedly tried to obtain Thaksin’s flight details.

Puea Thai MP Jatuporn Prompan claimed the Cambodian government had an audio clip of Kasit, the Bangkok Post wrote.

“I am dying to listen to my voice. Does Jatuporn work for Cambodia?” Kasit asked reporters.

Kasit said the ministry was waiting for confirmation from Cambodian authorities about when the detained Thai engineer could receive visitors, the Bangkok Post added.

The confirmation comes after Thai newspapers as saying that the Royal Government of Cambodia fired 9 Thai workers at CATS. Thai media also made much of a Cambodia’s arrest of Sivarak Chutipong, 31. Phnom Penh Municipal Court has remanded the suspect in Prey Sar after charges of of stealing fugitive former Thai Primer Minister Thaksin Sinawatra’s flight schedule during his 4-day trip to Cambodia last week.

The Cambodian Government on Friday confirmed that Thai workers at Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS) have not been fired, contrary to reports in the Thai press. Thai workers have been barred from entering technical rooms as this duty is responsibility of the Cambo- dian Government.

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