Published: 19/11/2009
(Posted by CAAI News Media)
Cambodia has taken control of Cambodian Air Traffic Services (CATS), a wholly owned unit of Thailand's Samart Corporation Pcl, by appointing a senior Civil Aviation official as its temporary caretaker, Samart said on Thursday.
The move came after Cambodian authorities expelled all Thai officials from their offices at CAT on Wednesday. The order came after Phnom Penh filed charges against Sivarak Chutipong, a Thai engineer working for CATS.
"The caretaker has prohibited the Thai expatriates from performing their duties," Samart vice-chairman Sirichai Rasameechan said in a statement filed to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, where the company is listed.
CATS provides air traffic control services with a 32-year concession (2001-2033) under a build, cooperate and transfer arrangement with the Cambodian government, with revenue from the operations this year contributing about 5 percent to the group.
The investment is covered by an investment protection agreement between the two countries, it said.
Samart is seeking government's help to end the problem, he said.
"Samart has been closely cooperating with the Thai government to help negotiate with the Cambodian Government for the release of Mr. Siwarak and resolve this incident," according to the statement.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya insisted on Thursday that Cambodia must comply with the law after Phnom Penh banned Thai nationals from working at CATS.
The Cambodian government has ordered the air traffic control company to replace all Thai workers with Cambodians and has seized all the company's equipment.
Mr Kasit said any action against the company and its employees must be strictly according to the law, and comply with Cambodia's investment and internal regulations.
"The ministry is waiting for reports from the Thai embassy and we will also have to get clarification from the Cambodian government. If it violates bilateral agreements, then we will find ways to proceed," he told reporters.
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"Cambodia is a market economy," he added. "Just seizing (a company) would not seem right."
The Foreign Ministry had sent the Consular Affairs Department deputy director-general to see the mother of Thai engineer Siwarak Chutiphong, who was arrested by the Cambodian government last week on spying charges.
Mr Kasit said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had promised Mr Siwarak's mother that he will visit her detained son.
He said the government had to wait for Cambodia's confirmation of a time for the meeting with Mr Siwarak. The ministry had also hired a lawyer to liaise with the company about the problem.
"There are, however, no problems in Thai-Cambodian relations," he insisted.
Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the foreign minister, dismissed Puea Thai Party MP Jatuporn Prompan's claim that Mr Kasit had ordered Thai embassy's first secretary Kamrob Palawatwichai to seek the flight schedule of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Mr Chavanond also challenged Mr Jatuporn to present the audio clip, which he claimed to be of Mr Kasit ordering Mr Kamrob to obtain Thaksin's flight schedule, to general public.
He slammed Mr Jatuporn's statement, saying that it is non-sense.
He also vowed that the Foreign Ministry is proceeding on providing assistance to Mr Sivarak and preparing to find a lawyer for him.
He added that the ministry has contacted the Cambodian government this morning to seek the permission for Mr Sivarak's mother to visit her son in prison.
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