Cambodia Defence minister demands public apology for assault on soldier at Ta Mone Thom
Cambodia’s Minister of National Defence has demanded that a former Thai patrol soldier, along with Thai authorities, issue a public apology for the unprovoked assault on a Cambodian soldier that took place at Ta Mone Thom temple on July 13.
This demand was made in spite of the fact that the suspect has already been arrested by Thai authorities and is facing legal consequences.
Speaking today, July 15, at an event to welcome Cambodian peacekeepers returning from the Central Africa Republic, Defence Minister Tea Seiha explained that on July 13, the former Thai soldier initially approached to shake hands but then suddenly attacked the Cambodian.
“If there were just an apology, I would be satisfied. There could be an apology; I believe there has been an informal apology. However, it hasn’t been publicly announced that he apologised to Cambodia,” Seiha said.
He further noted that the suspect, identified as “Sommai”, claimed he attacked the Cambodian soldier out of anger after seeing Cambodian civilians at Ta Mone Thom. He alleged that Cambodian soldiers prevented Thai civilians from accessing the temple.
According to Seiha, Sommai face legal action in Thailand, as Thai authorities claim Ta Mone Thom belongs to them and plan to prosecute him in a Thai court. However, the minister argued that the suspect should be tried in Cambodia since the incident occurred on Cambodian soil. For now, Cambodia is monitoring the situation.
“What frustrates me even more is that some Thai lawyers have volunteered to defend him. Defending someone when the crime is clear is pointless. Where is the respect for the law in Thailand?” he asked.
He noted that the lawyers publicly volunteered their services on social media, seemingly to gain popularity.
The arrest was widely reported in Thai media, but no updates on the nature of the charges he will face have been made available.
Niem Chheng
The Phnom Penh Post
Asia News Network
