By Rachel Harvey
BBC News, Bangkok
If there is one thing that supporters and opponents of Thaksin Shinawatra can surely agree on, it is this - the fugitive former prime minister of Thailand has a knack for grabbing headlines.
Deposed in a coup in 2006, and subsequently convicted in absentia on a conflict of interest charge, Mr Thaksin faces a two year jail sentence if he returns to Thailand.
So he has been living in self-imposed exile, most recently in Dubai.
But he works hard at maintaining his contacts back home - he is a regular contributor to the Twitter and Facebook social networking sites, and he calls in by videophone to rallies organised by his supporters.
He has also given several high-profile interviews to foreign newspapers.
All of this no doubt profoundly irritates, and probably genuinely concerns, the current coalition government, led by Prime Minsiter Abhisit Vejjajiva.
But Mr Thaksin's latest move has ramped that up several notches.
The former premier has taken up a new position as economic adviser to the Cambodian government.
The job offer was made by Hun Sen, Cambodia's outspoken prime minister, just ahead of last month's regional summit hosted by Thailand.
There could be a personal edge to it - Mr Thaksin and Mr Hun Sen are good friends and golf partners.
But the timing was widely interpreted in Thai media as being designed to undermine Mr Abhisit.
Messy legacy
Things have escalated since then. Thailand has recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh and is considering scrapping an agreement over a disputed maritime border.
Thailand and Cambodia are already locked in a long running argument about an ancient Hindu temple.
Moves to try to extradite Mr Thaksin could follow.
But the Cambodian government has already said it will reject any such request on the basis that, in their view, the charges against their guest are politically motivated.
Thaksin Shinawatra remains a polarising figure in Thailand.
He still retains a strong following in parts of the country, particularly in rural areas.
His red-shirted supporters still mount regular demonstrations. But yellow-shirted opponents loathe and mistrust him with equal passion.
The messy legacy of the 2006 coup rumbles on.
Hun Sen could well have his own domestic reasons for baiting Thailand. It plays well with nationalist sentiments.
But observers think this latest diplomatic spat is at least as much about Thai domestic politics as historic regional rivalries.
Mr Thaksin, a billionaire who made his fortune in telecommunications, denies his visit to Cambodia is overtly political.
He says he is simply offering advice on economics and poverty reduction. But his mere presence just across the border is provocative.
Awkward timing
Hard-line nationalists are urging Mr Abhisit to take stronger retaliatory measures against Cambodia.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who are staunchly opposed to Mr Thaksin, say they plan to hold a protest rally on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in an editorial, the widely read Bangkok Post newspaper, is urging restraint and cautioning the government against falling into what it calls a tit-for-tat trap set by Hun Sen.
Once again, the timing of all this is awkward to say the least.
Cambodia and Thailand are both members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).
Asean leaders are due to meet the American President Barack Obama this weekend, on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Singapore.
It could be hard to speak with one voice if the leaders of two regional neighbours are refusing to speak to one another.
Once again, Thaksin Shinawatra has managed to create a diversion to distract the attention of his political opponents in the Thai government just ahead of a major international forum.
The spat with Cambodia has served both to underline latent regional tensions and highlight the deep divisions that persist within Thailand.
Deposed in a coup in 2006, and subsequently convicted in absentia on a conflict of interest charge, Mr Thaksin faces a two year jail sentence if he returns to Thailand.
So he has been living in self-imposed exile, most recently in Dubai.
But he works hard at maintaining his contacts back home - he is a regular contributor to the Twitter and Facebook social networking sites, and he calls in by videophone to rallies organised by his supporters.
He has also given several high-profile interviews to foreign newspapers.
All of this no doubt profoundly irritates, and probably genuinely concerns, the current coalition government, led by Prime Minsiter Abhisit Vejjajiva.
But Mr Thaksin's latest move has ramped that up several notches.
The former premier has taken up a new position as economic adviser to the Cambodian government.
The job offer was made by Hun Sen, Cambodia's outspoken prime minister, just ahead of last month's regional summit hosted by Thailand.
There could be a personal edge to it - Mr Thaksin and Mr Hun Sen are good friends and golf partners.
But the timing was widely interpreted in Thai media as being designed to undermine Mr Abhisit.
Messy legacy
Things have escalated since then. Thailand has recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh and is considering scrapping an agreement over a disputed maritime border.
Thailand and Cambodia are already locked in a long running argument about an ancient Hindu temple.
Moves to try to extradite Mr Thaksin could follow.
But the Cambodian government has already said it will reject any such request on the basis that, in their view, the charges against their guest are politically motivated.
Thaksin Shinawatra remains a polarising figure in Thailand.
He still retains a strong following in parts of the country, particularly in rural areas.
His red-shirted supporters still mount regular demonstrations. But yellow-shirted opponents loathe and mistrust him with equal passion.
The messy legacy of the 2006 coup rumbles on.
Hun Sen could well have his own domestic reasons for baiting Thailand. It plays well with nationalist sentiments.
But observers think this latest diplomatic spat is at least as much about Thai domestic politics as historic regional rivalries.
Mr Thaksin, a billionaire who made his fortune in telecommunications, denies his visit to Cambodia is overtly political.
He says he is simply offering advice on economics and poverty reduction. But his mere presence just across the border is provocative.
Awkward timing
Hard-line nationalists are urging Mr Abhisit to take stronger retaliatory measures against Cambodia.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who are staunchly opposed to Mr Thaksin, say they plan to hold a protest rally on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in an editorial, the widely read Bangkok Post newspaper, is urging restraint and cautioning the government against falling into what it calls a tit-for-tat trap set by Hun Sen.
Once again, the timing of all this is awkward to say the least.
Cambodia and Thailand are both members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).
Asean leaders are due to meet the American President Barack Obama this weekend, on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Singapore.
It could be hard to speak with one voice if the leaders of two regional neighbours are refusing to speak to one another.
Once again, Thaksin Shinawatra has managed to create a diversion to distract the attention of his political opponents in the Thai government just ahead of a major international forum.
The spat with Cambodia has served both to underline latent regional tensions and highlight the deep divisions that persist within Thailand.
11 comments:
I wish Thailand just leave Cambodia alone. We are a country too small to bully others. We just want to live in peace. We fight not because we want to but we have to.. I am glad to read some fair minded international news medias about Cambodia - never mind about Thai's. I encourage them to go back even further into history between the two countries to deepen your understanding about the whole situation. Do spend some time in the Thai history books which invented the story to glorify their kings and discredit Khmer kings and compare them to the world history. Until today, Thai children are learning from these kind of history and minds are being ill form to see others in a very different ways and thus, their actions and behaviors. Not only that Thai is well known for humiliating their neighbors as they see them inferior to their race. This kind of thinking do sit well with anyone...
I am extremely proud of PM Hun Sen. This is the first time we see a Khmer leader win the battle without firing a single shot.
Thai current government is totally humiliated on the international arena while PM Hun Sen triumphs.
Every Khmers should be proud of this moment.
Long live to the Khmer Nation!
Agent32
You count the chicken before it hatches? Hold on my friend. A lot of work still ahead of us... Cambodia just want to go on with our lives... But Thailand keeps drawing conclusions to pick a fight with Cambodia. Just look at their medias, they say the government of Abhisit may do this, may do that and Cambodia this, Cambodia that with internal politics, but in fact they are the ones who draw all these conclusions to fight with Cambodia. I say just leave us alone!!!! and cancel everything that both countries have worked for... Is this constructive or destructive mindset? They doom for self demising.
Do not get too excited my Khmer compatriots, we have not won anything yet. The tai troops are still camping on our land around khmer Preah Vihear.
Sometime you just have to suck it in even you don't like it, instead of causing a stir, and that is exactly what PAD Abhisit running government should do. They used to bully Cambodia, now that it is Cambodia got a upper hand on them, they are furious and resorting to all these cancelations and difficulties for both nations.
For me what I don't understand is that Abullshit is overreacting that's all.
He had threaten left and right and when the situation is fit his needs he close the embassy. Then our PM do the same thing. They can't pretend to good than abuse it.
They think Khmer will do what Thai ask?
No way!!
And it is too late with that stupid clown ASEAN chairman Surin Pitsuwan that wanted us to work with each other. This guy or this clown is very dangerous for ASEAN and very BIAS.
He should initiated the beginning for these two rivals to work together from the start.
Abullshit is requesting the extradition now? Didn't the one that close all the communication between Cambodia and Thailand and expect HUN SEN to send Thaksin to his country?
Cambodia is not acting like a baby like you. Cambodia has more mature politician then Bangkok nowaday.
Khmer will win!!!!!!!!!!
Let me tell you a little bit about this guy Abullshit.
This guy before he became the PM of Thailand he was an opposition.
He stir and cause a lot of trouble with the Temple Preah Vihear. He came to power with marginal and very undemocratic. He stir up the Preah Vihear to win and he thought by winning can solve the Preah Vihear instead he put himself in more deeper trouble. He realized it the temple belong to solely Khmer. Now he owed his people those lying campaign when he wasn't elected. Abullshit was the GREED of power. He took Khmer issue into the deepest of his heart. He had been trouble since he took office and realized the Khmer's Preah Vihear issue.
It is too late for him now. You playing with FIRE you will get burn OXCART graduated boy!!!!!!!!
What’s the next yuon step? Yuons took Cambodia of course but before this event, thais eared a big part of market in Cambodia left by yuons. Now thai market is being ingest by yuons and certainly its heads for soon. Am wondering how thais’re going to fight against yuon expansionism while they don’t even have enough capacity to fight on little battle field face to yuons? Yuons will eat Siamese head much more easily than that of Khmer or chams for sure. Of course one cant ignore pledge of geopolitics but sad that Thai society cant effort a genuine great man to lead this fight against yuons due to their ill behaviors and failures for being risen on the other side of history for so long. Thai are eating their own shits now. How a society can keep people in such a blind and ignorant all by open to the wide world? With this kind of ill behaviors, thais make themselves look like a bunch of monkeys to the world. The world cant even understand what these thais talking about even these thais try to talk in our language. How you gonna resolve global problem with this kind of monkeys?
thais is offering yuon victory on the pedestal by their own failures and foolishness . Does thai gonna beg for a Khmer hero to save their heads as they did before
You all got to remember that SIAM or no Thailand was born out of Khmer's betrayal Generals. Those former General is RameaKomhaeng or in Thai "RamaKhamhaeng"..
Just a small example..
Oxcart--Hey, that's my terminology for an Oxford's grad who is a morron received degree because the Oxcart's parents are filthy rich.
From now, all the thai morrons who received from Oxford are termed " The Oxcart ". Hahahhhaa
The Khmer Thai extradition treaty was also revoked in retaliation to the scrap of the Khmer Thai overlapping maritime boundary MOU.
The Renewed Khmer-Thai MOU is as follows:
Article 1: Thai government accepts to give Cambodia a total of 60 billion US dollars over 5 years with 10 billion US dollars up front and also 80% of petrol wells from Thai-Cambodian overlapping claims area in exchange for the extradition of the international fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra.
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