THE NATION: Volunteer workers may f

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Politics 

      Volunteer workers may
      face charges

      TAK -- The Australian and Thai volunteer
      workers released after being held captive
      by the Rangoon-backed Democratic Karen
      Buddhist Army (DKBA) may face charges
      of illegally leaving Thailand if it is proved
      they crossed into Burma voluntarily and
      were not forced at gunpoint by the DKBA
      as previously reported. 

      Their release was yesterday welcomed with
      relief by the Australian government but
      contradicting accounts over how the pair
      entered Burma irked the Thai Army. 

      Soldiers from the DKBA delivered Nick
      Cheesman and his Thai colleague
      Ngamsuk Rattanasathien to local
      authorities at Baan Wang Kaew in Tambon
      Pa-am, Mae Sot district on Wednesday
      after spending five nights at the DKBA's
      guerrilla base. 

      Army chief Gen Chettha Thanajaro
      yesterday accused the Australian of almost
      causing an ''international accident'' after he
      was reportedly abducted by a
      Burma-based ethnic guerrilla force last
      week. 

      ''This sort of situation could easily get out of
      hand and cause an international conflict,''
      Chettha said. 

      ''The Australian involved has unreservedly
      apologised to Thailand but I think Australian
      officials feel guilty that one of their citizens
      caused such a problem.'' 

      He said Cheesman, 28, and Ngamsuk, 30,
      from the initial investigation, were
      suspected of breaching Thai law by leaving
      the country without permission and could
      face charges. 

      Pol Maj Col Banja Pluang, chief of Tak
      immigration bureau said their
      investigations were still incomplete. He
      said if the two were found guilty as charged
      by the military, they will face both jail terms
      and fines. 

      Police and customs investigations were
      under way into the exact circumstances of
      Cheesman's disappearance and a report
      would be delivered soon, Chettha said. 

      Thai military officers earlier said Cheesman
      and his colleague had not been abducted
      but had willingly accepted an invitation to
      wade across the shallow river. But
      Cheesman maintained yesterday that he
      and his colleague had been taken against
      their will but had not been mistreated. 

      In a statement made to the Australian
      Associated Press, Cheesman said: ''At no
      time did we have the opportunity to return of
      our own accord. In no way were we
      mistreated during our detention by the
      DKBA. 

      The Nation, Agencies