After a nearly five-hour deliberation from 1400 on 21 January 2011, Suos Sam Ath, presiding judge at the Phnom Penh municipal court of first instance, announced the verdict on the five Thai nationals giving each one of them a nine-month prison sentence. The sentence started from the day they were arrested on 29 December 2010 to 21 January 2011, with the remaining suspended. Judge Suos Sam Ath also fined each one of the five Thai nationals one million Riel [Cambodian currency roughly equivalent to US$245].It should be noted that the five Thai nationals taking part in the trial on 21 January 2011 were:
1. Panik Vikitsreth, member of the royal Thai parliament;
2. Kochpuntorn Chusanaseree, assistant of Panik Vikitsreth;
3. Samdin Lersbusya, secretary of the Paradise and Earth Party;
4. Taynae Moonmachon, Thai journalist; and
5. Naruemol Chitwaratana, a woman.
At first the Phnom Penh municipal court of first instance set the date for a joint trial on 1 February but urgently changed that date at the request of the accused and the Thai embassy.
The seven Thai nationals, including a parliament member and a leader of the yellow-shirt group, were arrested by authorities in Banteay Meanchey province on 29 December 2010 while they were illegally walking in Cambodian territory in the area of Kilometer 46 in Chouk Chey village of O Chrov district in Banteay Meanchey province.
The Phnom Penh court accused the seven Thai nationals of illegally crossing the border and entering a military area with ill intention. Two of the Thais, Veera Somkwamkid, leader of the Thai yellow-shirt group; and a woman, Ratree Paiputanapaiboon, were additionally charged with attempt to collect information detrimental to Cambodia's national defense work.
So far, only two Thai nationals remain in detention and not yet tried. There is no new information yet on when they will be tried, or whether to wait for the old set date of 1 February.
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