Govt 'slow' in helping detained Thais

via CAAI

Published: 5/01/2011

The government is doing its job poorly and slowly in helping the seven Thais being held in Cambodia, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said on Wednesday.

"The government should have started helping the seven Thais as soon as they were arrested.

"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva should have phoneed Prime Minister Hun Sen right away instead of allowing them to be held in Phnom Penh, making assistance more difficult," Mr Noppadon said.

"I want to know if the prime minister has a concrete plan to help the seseven people, other than passing the task to the Foreign Ministry," he said.

Mr Noppadon said he had talked with ousted premier Thaksin on the phone yesterday.

Thaksin was aware of the situation and believed Mr Abhisit and Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya were capable of helping the arrested men.

"Thaksin said Thai-Cambodian relations have improved and the government should be able to solve the problem," he added.