Cambodia detains Thai MP in disputed area: police

via CAAI

Phnom Penh, Dec 29 (AFP) Cambodia today detained a Thai ruling party politician and six others for allegedly trespassing on its territory while inspecting a disputed border area, officials said.

"They crossed into our territory illegally," Hun Hean, police chief of northwestern Banteay Meanchey province, told AFP by telephone.

"We do not know yet why they entered Cambodian territory," he said, adding that the authorities were still considering whether to bring charges against the detainees or to release them.

According to Thai media, Democrat Party lawmaker Panich Vikitsreth was at the time inspecting disputed territory from Thailand's eastern Sa Kaeo province, accompanied by activists with the royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement.

A Thai government spokesman in Bangkok said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was aware of the incident and trying to coordinate with Cambodia to resolve the situation.