Thai Illegal Entry Suspects Appear in Cambodian Court

  • 13 years ago
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Seven Thai activists, including a member of Thailand's parliament, appear in a Cambodian court for questioning. They're being charged with entering Cambodia illegally and trespassing in a military-controlled area. It's a big political issue because the activists want Thailand to take a harder stance on border disputes with Cambodia.

For the second time since their arrest last month, seven Thai nationals appeared at a court in Phnom Penh on Thursday. They were brought in for questioning on charges of illegal entry and trespassing on Cambodia's border military zone.

The offences carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.

There was no indication from the court how long the questioning before the judge would last.

Shortly after their arrest in December, Thailand's Foreign Minister went to Phnom Penh to seek their release.

But the bid was rejected by the Cambodian government.

The suspects say they had only been inspecting the border.

Most of the seven are members of a Thai political faction known as the "yellow shirts." They have been pressing the government to take a tough stand with Cambodia over border disputes.

Large stretches of the Thai-Cambodian border are poorly demarcated and many border markers have been destroyed or moved during decades of conflict in Cambodia.

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