Cambodia jails Thai man, Siwarak Chothipong, for spying
An air traffic controller in Cambodia has been jailed for seven years for spying on Thai ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra during an official visit last month.
Siwarak Chothipong, who is Thai, was accused of passing Mr Thaksin’s private flight details to Thai diplomats.
Mr Thaksin caused a diplomatic uproar when he was named an economic adviser to Cambodia despite being wanted in Thailand to serve time for corruption.
Ties between the neighbours were already tense over a border dispute.
Diplomatic manoeuvres
The judge said Siwarak, 31, had breached security by leaking the details of Mr Thaksin’s private flights while Mr Thaksin was a guest of the government.
But the seven-year sentence was actually the lightest possible for spying. The maximum would have been 15.
Thai officials have indicated they will try to reduce it further – by helping Siwarak to appeal, or asking for a royal pardon from Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni.
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There has also been speculation in Thailand that Mr Thaksin may intervene to secure Siwarak’s release,from Phnom Penh.
Cambodia’s relationship with its larger neighbour has deteriorated since July last year – when it secured World Heritage status for an ancient temple in a disputed border area.
Last month’s appointment of Mr Thaksin as a special economic adviser to the government in Phnom Penh made matters worse.
A mutual withdrawal of ambassadors followed, as Thailand accused Cambodia of political interference.
The Thai tycoon was toppled in a 2006 coup and is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption.
