BANGKOK, Feb 11 – Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, the Thai woman political activist recently released from a Cambodian prison, today met with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and discussed the possibility of transferring her fellow inmate Veera Somkwamkid from Cambodia to serve his remaining prison term in Thailand.
Ms Ratree and Mr Veera were arrested and imprisoned by Cambodian authorities for trespassing into the neighbouring country. Ms Ratree, however, insisted that the area where she stepped belongs to Thailand but was occupied by Cambodian troops.
Ms Ratree, released by a royal pardon by the Cambodian government ,expressed her appreciation to the prime minister for her assistance.
She was accompanied by several noted human rights figures including Prinya Sirisarakarn, Dr Kusol Prawitpaiboon and Piyanuch Thitipattana.
Ms Ratree asked the prime minister to help Mr Veera who she said has been deprived of his fundamental rights while in detention in Cambodia.
Ms Yingluck gave assurances that the government had not relented in seeking clemency for Mr Veera or his transfer to a Thai prison instead of being held by the Khmer authorities.
Ms Ratree said Mr Veera has served one-third of his jail term and was entitled to a transfer from the Cambodian prison. The prime minister said the government would try its best as it is the government’s responsibility to take care of every Thai citizen.
The activist reasserted her confidence that area where she and Mr Veera were arrested belongs to Thailand.
She said she was a political victim of the Cambodian government and that the previous Thai government failed to protect the rights of Thai people and Thai territory. (MCOT online news)
