Cambodia’s Sam Rainsy says Thai Airways blocked his trip home on orders ‘from very high up’
- The self-exiled opposition leader was intending to return to Cambodia to lead rallies against strongman Hun Sen via a transit through Thailand
- Phnom Penh has urged Southeast Asian countries to arrest and deport members of Sam Rainsy’s political party after accusing them of plotting a coup
Cambodia’s self-exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who has vowed to return home to lead demonstrations against authoritarian rule, said on Thursday he had been prevented from boarding a flight from Paris to Bangkok.
The apparently blocked flight came a day after Malaysia detained Mu Sochua, the vice-president of Sam Rainsy’s banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), at a Kuala Lumpur airport, before releasing her 24 hours later.
Strongman Hun Sen, who has been in power since 1985, has characterised the returning opposition figures’ planned rallies as an attempted coup.
Sam Rainsy said at France’s Charles de Gaulle Airport that staff at Thai Airways, Thailand’s national carrier, refused to allow him to get on his flight.
“I’m not allowed to board. [Thai Airways staff] said they have received from very high up the instruction not to allow me to board,” he said. “I’m very shocked, I’m very disappointed. I want to go back, my people are waiting for me.”
A Thai Airways representative declined to comment, citing passenger confidentiality.
