FM confirms visit by international agencies to 18 captured Cambodian troops Tuesday
Thailand to host OHCHR, ICRC visit to observe 18 detained Cambodian troops amid claims of torture, says Foreign Ministry spokesman.
The Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed that it will facilitate a visit by representatives of two major international human rights organisations to observe the condition of the 18 captured Cambodian soldiers on Tuesday.
Nikorndej Balankura, spokesman for the ministry and director-general of its Department of Information, said the visit will allow the representatives to witness the treatment of the detainees firsthand.
Earlier in the day, the Ad Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation announced that the ministry would invite the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to inspect the troops in custody.
Visit aims to counter Cambodia's torture allegations
The visit is intended to counter allegations from the Cambodian government that Thailand tortured the detained troops in violation of international law.
Nikorndej noted that Malaysia’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar—who also heads the ceasefire monitoring committee—had recently visited the Cambodian soldiers and later told Malaysian media that their condition did not match Cambodia’s claims in its complaint to the OHCHR.
Nikorndej said Jaffar’s statement demonstrated that Cambodia’s attempts to distort facts had failed.
“General Jaffar affirmed that Thailand has treated the 18 Cambodian troops in accordance with humanitarian principles and international law,” he said.
Ministry to reaffirm transparency to global community
To further demonstrate this to the international community, Nikorndej said the ministry will escort representatives from the OHCHR and ICRC to visit the captured troops on Tuesday.
“This will affirm to the international community that Thailand has never distorted information,” he concluded.
