What, the, international, practice?

The Bangkok Post:

Democrat Party spokesman Thepthai Senpong said on Thursday he was surprised that Simarak na Nakhon Phanom, the mother of convicted spy Sivarak Chutipong, would seek a royal pardon for her son through the Puea Thai Party.
...
After the verdict was announced, Mrs Simarak turned to opposition Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for help.

"I'm surprised by Mrs Simarak's decision to help her son without asking for the Foreign Ministry's assistance, because this is not in line with international practice," Mr Thepthai said.

"I wonder if Thaksin [Shinawatra], Puea Thai chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen have more prominent roles than the Cambodian king," he said.

BP: Not quite sure what international practice Thepthai is talking about here. It is the norm for the foreign ministry to help or coordinate help because it falls within their area of responsbility, but it is not exclusive. It is not everytime that one's government is approached to help foreign nationals detained, arrested, or imprisoned abroad. Off the top of BP's head, BP can think of Jesse Jackson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton - who were not members of the govenrment at the time - helping US nationals abroad when they were detained and arrested.  In this instance, does anyone actually believe that Kasit and Abhisit would be more helpful than Thaksin and Chavalit? Simply, no. You go to the person who is more likely to help you.

The last paragraph is nonsensical. BP suggests Thepthai study up on the process in Thailand for submitting a petition for a royal pardon. A petition for a foreign national can take 2-3 years before a decision is made, but if the petition was to be supported by an influential person in that foreign national's home country and was raised in bilateral meetings then the pardon will be processed quicker. Just think of Harry Nicolaides. His pardon was granted the week after the petition was submitted.