Bangkok Post
Thai Patriots Network activist Veera Somkwankid and his secretary Ratree Pipattanapaiboon may be released through a prisoner exchange programme, Defence Minster Yutthasak Sasiprapa said on Friday.
Gen Yutthasak said the matter was raised when he went to Cambodia for a visit and met Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Hun Sen said during the meeting that when Somsak Kiatsuranond called on him on Sept 20 the House speaker told him that there were also 37 other Thais imprisoned in Cambodia.
Gen Yutthasak said the Cambodian prime minister said that that from Mr Somsak’s comment he believed a prisoner exchange programme was possible in the case of Veera and Ratree and asked him to convey his suggestion to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, he said.
PM Yingluck made an official visit to Cambodia on Sept 15.
Hun Sen suggested that Ms Yingluck instruct the Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs ministries to coordinate with their Cambodian counterparts for further consultations, Gen Yutthasak said.
The defence minister said he did not know if Veera and Ratree would still have to serve their remaining jail terms after being transferred to Thailand.
He said he would meet Hun Sen again at the General Border Meeting, which has yet to be scheduled.
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