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Officials at the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh are expected to be allowed to visit the Thai engineer being detained in a Cambodian prison today, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday.

Mr Suthep was referring to Siwark Chotphong, an engineer with Cambodia Air Traffic Services, who was arrested by Cambodian police last Wednesday on spying charges.

Mr Siwarak was accused of giving former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's flight schedule to the Thai embassy's first secretary Kamrob Palawatwichai, who was expelled by Cambodia on Thursday.

Mr Suthep said he expected the Thai embassy officials to be able to meet Mr Siwarak today to know details of the charges and find ways of fighting the case.

The government will send details of Thaksin's flight schedule to lawyers to show that the flight plan was not classified but open information and that there was no need to get it through espionage, he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Wimon Kidchob said Thai charge d'affaires Chalothorn Paovibul had submitted an official request to visit Mr Siwarak. Mr Chalothorn would himself visit Mr Siwarak and officials concerned. However, Cambodia had not yet replied to the request, she said.

Mrs Wimon said it was nothing unusual for Mr Siwarak to know the first secretary who was expelled.

She declined to say what action would be taken if Cambodia rejected the request.

16/11/09
Bangkok Post