Sat Nov 7, 2009By Yoko Nishikawa
TOKYO (Reuters) - Thailand said on Saturday it has no plan yet to seal its border with Cambodia despite a diplomatic row, but will seek to extradite fugitive former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, if he goes to Cambodia to become an adviser.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva also told Reuters in an interview that Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been recovering from his illness and he expected the 81-year-old king to be discharged from hospital soon.
Thailand and Cambodia deepened a diplomatic row by recalling their ambassadors from each others' countries on Thursday after Phnom Penh made Thaksin an economic adviser.
The tit-for-tat spat threatens to worsen political tensions in Thailand by potentially giving Thaksin a base across the border from where he can direct his supporters and causing a diplomatic embarrassment for Abhisit.
"We did not talk," Abhisit said when asked if he had a chance to speak with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen while he was in Tokyo for a summit of five Mekong region nations and Japan, which brought him and the Cambodian leader together at an awkward time.
"We would seek (his) extradition," Abhisit added when asked about his government's response if Thaksin goes to Cambodia.
"We do not accept the view that this is a political case. Rather, it is a straight-forward application of our laws."
But asked if Bangkok would seal its border with Cambodia, Abhisit said, "At the moment, we don't have plans to do that."
Thaksin, the twice-elected billionaire who was deposed in a coup three years ago and has been living in exile to avoid corruption charges, still commands widespread support in rural areas and remains a force in Thai politics.
Abhisit stressed the dispute did not affect the two-day Japan-Mekong summit meeting that ended earlier in the day.
"We are very conscious that this is an issue that we should solve bilaterally and that we should not let this get in the way of multilateral cooperation. So we won't allow to affect ASEAN. We won't allow to affect a forum like this," he said.
KING'S HEALTH
Abhisit said Thailand's king, who has been in hospital since Sept. 19, was recovering and that he was performing his duties from the hospital.
The 81-year-old king, the world's longest serving monarch, is regarded as semi-divine by many of the country's 67 million people.
"He has recovered and is now staying to do physiotherapy. And soon we expect His Majesty to be discharged from the hospital," Abhisit said, adding that the timing of the king's release from hospital would be up to doctors.
The king's health is a sensitive topic in financial markets because he is seen as the sole unifying figure in a politically polarised country with a long history of coups and upheaval.
Abhisit said the king was still performing his duties in hospital. "We have laws that have been signed and have come to affect, for instance, the budget law."
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva also told Reuters in an interview that Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been recovering from his illness and he expected the 81-year-old king to be discharged from hospital soon.
Thailand and Cambodia deepened a diplomatic row by recalling their ambassadors from each others' countries on Thursday after Phnom Penh made Thaksin an economic adviser.
The tit-for-tat spat threatens to worsen political tensions in Thailand by potentially giving Thaksin a base across the border from where he can direct his supporters and causing a diplomatic embarrassment for Abhisit.
"We did not talk," Abhisit said when asked if he had a chance to speak with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen while he was in Tokyo for a summit of five Mekong region nations and Japan, which brought him and the Cambodian leader together at an awkward time.
"We would seek (his) extradition," Abhisit added when asked about his government's response if Thaksin goes to Cambodia.
"We do not accept the view that this is a political case. Rather, it is a straight-forward application of our laws."
But asked if Bangkok would seal its border with Cambodia, Abhisit said, "At the moment, we don't have plans to do that."
Thaksin, the twice-elected billionaire who was deposed in a coup three years ago and has been living in exile to avoid corruption charges, still commands widespread support in rural areas and remains a force in Thai politics.
Abhisit stressed the dispute did not affect the two-day Japan-Mekong summit meeting that ended earlier in the day.
"We are very conscious that this is an issue that we should solve bilaterally and that we should not let this get in the way of multilateral cooperation. So we won't allow to affect ASEAN. We won't allow to affect a forum like this," he said.
KING'S HEALTH
Abhisit said Thailand's king, who has been in hospital since Sept. 19, was recovering and that he was performing his duties from the hospital.
The 81-year-old king, the world's longest serving monarch, is regarded as semi-divine by many of the country's 67 million people.
"He has recovered and is now staying to do physiotherapy. And soon we expect His Majesty to be discharged from the hospital," Abhisit said, adding that the timing of the king's release from hospital would be up to doctors.
The king's health is a sensitive topic in financial markets because he is seen as the sole unifying figure in a politically polarised country with a long history of coups and upheaval.
Abhisit said the king was still performing his duties in hospital. "We have laws that have been signed and have come to affect, for instance, the budget law."
23 comments:
Cambodian used to live with all borders closed completely from the world. I have no doubted Cambodian will survive again with just one border side closed.
it's true just to talk about survival. however, life is beyond just being survived. life needs to make sense and life needs to be dignified.
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Anonymous said...
នែ!លោកសៀមកុំសូវបានចិត្តពេក!បើលោកសៀមឯងចង់បានលោកសមរង្សីពលរដ្ធខ្មែរជូនលោកសៀមឯងដៃពីរហើយថែមលោកគឹម
សុខាឲ្យមួយទៀតផ្រី!ខ្មែរមិនរករឿងដួចលោកថៃឯងទេ!
Khmers in Cambodia might have to live below the standard because Hun Sen chose to appoint fugitive as country advisor.
This is a slap to all Cambodians. Why Thaksin, a corrupted fugitive, not educated Cambodian as advisor?
So called Khmers outside Cambodia simply enjoy the talking but never have to live like Khmers in Cambodia.
In this piont and this moment I believe Siem will be get more impact than Cambodia. This PM of Siem will make the very worse history...may lead to effect monarchy
What is Thailand trying to do? Hurt Cambodia?
Thailand is so fucken dumb! they think, by closing their border with cambodia will hurt or kills khmer people? remembered Cambodia had lived alone for century, during Pol Pot's time and no outside world involved, Thailand will hurts their own people instead, because Khmers people are buying most of their porducts these days! Thais people will die first....especially all poor middle class Red Shirts people!
If Thai want to close the border trade,I think his government will be colapse in 3 days.You bring in a billion $ to Cambodia and Cambodia export to Thai only 200 m$.What's a #.
ំមកដល់ម្សៀ1:24 am បែបបានចឺត្តគ្មានអ្នកណា
ឆ្លងឆ្លើយជាមួយជ្រាំដែលៗគ្រប់កន្លែង។
អ្នកទាំងពីរនេះ មិនមែនជាមនុស្សដែលអ្នកឯង
លើកទុកលើកដាក់ដូចចៅហ្វាយឯងទេ។គេមាន
ឧត្តមគតិស្នេហាជាតិខ្ពស់ជាងចៅហ្វាយឯងខ្លាំងណាស់។គេមិនលក់ជាតិដើម្បីប្រយោជន៏សួនតួដូច
ចៅហ្វាយឯងទេ។
Cambodia lived alone without fucken Thailand still alive and well, and has no Foods, only work work work work work work work... all day, night...for almost four years long, why do we care if they close their fucken border?? cambodia can do business with other country beside crying baby Abhisit and his Fags..Govt!
Hun Sen is good at using the "Divide and Conguer tactics." He used that to wipe out the FUNCINPEC party. He tried that many times during the elections with the Sam Rainsy party. Now, he's using it with the Thais. He has Thaksin with him. Watch out Abhi Shit!!!!! and Watch Out....Thievland!
I luv PM Hun Sen doing this to Thailand! they are really pissed off now! this is good for not kissing Thai ass no more!, Thai Govt hurts cambodia by sending those yellow shirts people to invaded cambodian lands, when their troops pretending to rescue them, PM Hun Sen do not like someone looking down on him and his country....
Cambodia must stance strong with our ownself, just let Abhisit crying baby do whatever he like to, we don't give a shit!! without Khmers buying their porducts Thailand will lose big time! Thailand think they intimidate PM Hun Sen by doing these..?? they are fucken wrong dude...PM Hun Sen already had his millions plans with other "country contracts" He is not dumb as you all used to calling him, he will strke whoever under estimated him!!
CLOSE THE FUCKING BOARDER WE DONT GIVE A FUCK.......YOU FUCKING SIEMS WANNA SEE YOUR EMBASSY BURN DOWN AGAIN ..?
12:29 AM,
Dignifying or not....it is up to the individual!....how he/she wish to conduct him/herself.....
1:43 AM,
We know and understand how some Khmer people live in Cambodia indeed!...that is why, we urge all of Khmer who live in Cambodia to elect new leaders, and you will live better.....more prosperities...!
Go ahead and close the border. See who will be affected more. Even though Decho Hun Sen is less educated, he's more smarter than Abishit with education from Oxford, smarter than Sam Rainsy and Ranarith both of which with Ph.D from France. Ph.D outsmarted by a High school diploma. Decho Hun Sen is surrounded with highly intelligent and skillful people. Clinton's ex-advisor, South Korean PM, and now Thaksin as advisors... What a move!
Khmer should unilaterally close the border first before THAI did just to show the THAI that we don't care after all Thai's food is so hot to swallow to much mtess.
I agree with comments above! we should close our border first and see what's happening...? Thai is the one that start all of these problems, if i was Hun Sen, i will close my border first....Fuck Thailand!
In this situation, i order to close the border from now on, just do it.
Is youn behind all decision that Hun Sen made lately. Youn want to make Thai unstable country so if the war start, only Khmer are suffer.( chhang bork youn teat heay ).
Go Ahead Ah Abhisit seal border! Then the people at border will go to kill you in Bangkok. Don't be stupid Ah Chhkout!
I don't understand the comment on 1:24 a.m why you keep refering to Sam Rainsy, who has proudly refused the dream idea of Sutheb. Don't be stupid guy! when you fight with foreigners why you fight with Khmers? Are you Khmer or Youn?
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