Bangkok Post
PHNOM PENH : Thaksin Shinawatra denies reaping the rewards of joint oil and gas exploration with Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand.
''I've not reaped any benefits in Cambodia, not even a single penny,'' the ousted former prime minister said yesterday.
''In the past, yes, because I had businesses here. But now I have already sold out. I have nothing here and I have no investments, especially in the JDA [joint oil and gas development area] project,'' Mr Thaksin said in an interview at his reception house inside the Cambodian People's Party headquarters opposite the Thai embassy.
Thailand decided to revoke the memorandum of understanding on the 26,000 square kilometre overlapping maritime boundary in protest against the appointment of Thaksin as personal adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and economic adviser to his government. The process of scrapping the document needs parliamentary approval.
The Thai government said that with Thaksin acting in his advisory role for Phnom Penh, the MoU, which also considers joint development of an area disputed by the two countries, would put Thailand at a disadvantage because it was signed when Thaksin was in power.
Thaksin said the two countries could not settle the problem of the disputed area in the Gulf of Thailand during his six years in office.
He slammed the Thai government as he addressed about 300 members of the business commu nity and government at Cambodia's Finance Ministry yesterday.
''I see a lot of synergy between your country and mine,'' Thaksin told the audience. ''What is good for you will also be good for my country. Of course, not all my compatriots see it that way right now.
''I do not believe those who do not share our vision right now are myopic. Their domestic political compulsions force them to false patriotism.''
Security officials ushered reporters out of the room three minutes into the lecture, titled ''Cambodia and the World after the Financial Crisis'', but Cambodian state television later broadcast his wide-ranging talk.
''If you can build trust and confidence, paper can turn to money. If there's no trust and confidence, your money can turn to paper,'' he said.
Some Puea Thai Party MPs were also in the seminar including Krissana Sihaluck of Uttaradit Sunai Jullapongsathorn of Nakhon Sawan.
Thaksin later flew to the tourist hub Siem Reap where he was greeted by dozens of weeping, joyful supporters who crossed from northeast Thailand to give roses and hugs to the tycoon as he arrived at a hotel.
He later toured Angkor Wat temple escorted by Hun Sen's bodyguards, but was cheered by tourists and posed for photos with them.
''I've not reaped any benefits in Cambodia, not even a single penny,'' the ousted former prime minister said yesterday.
''In the past, yes, because I had businesses here. But now I have already sold out. I have nothing here and I have no investments, especially in the JDA [joint oil and gas development area] project,'' Mr Thaksin said in an interview at his reception house inside the Cambodian People's Party headquarters opposite the Thai embassy.
Thailand decided to revoke the memorandum of understanding on the 26,000 square kilometre overlapping maritime boundary in protest against the appointment of Thaksin as personal adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and economic adviser to his government. The process of scrapping the document needs parliamentary approval.
The Thai government said that with Thaksin acting in his advisory role for Phnom Penh, the MoU, which also considers joint development of an area disputed by the two countries, would put Thailand at a disadvantage because it was signed when Thaksin was in power.
Thaksin said the two countries could not settle the problem of the disputed area in the Gulf of Thailand during his six years in office.
He slammed the Thai government as he addressed about 300 members of the business commu nity and government at Cambodia's Finance Ministry yesterday.
''I see a lot of synergy between your country and mine,'' Thaksin told the audience. ''What is good for you will also be good for my country. Of course, not all my compatriots see it that way right now.
''I do not believe those who do not share our vision right now are myopic. Their domestic political compulsions force them to false patriotism.''
Security officials ushered reporters out of the room three minutes into the lecture, titled ''Cambodia and the World after the Financial Crisis'', but Cambodian state television later broadcast his wide-ranging talk.
''If you can build trust and confidence, paper can turn to money. If there's no trust and confidence, your money can turn to paper,'' he said.
Some Puea Thai Party MPs were also in the seminar including Krissana Sihaluck of Uttaradit Sunai Jullapongsathorn of Nakhon Sawan.
Thaksin later flew to the tourist hub Siem Reap where he was greeted by dozens of weeping, joyful supporters who crossed from northeast Thailand to give roses and hugs to the tycoon as he arrived at a hotel.
He later toured Angkor Wat temple escorted by Hun Sen's bodyguards, but was cheered by tourists and posed for photos with them.
1 comment:
Now that the MOU is scrapped by Thailand, Cambodia can start developping the offshore oil-gas on its own without further hindrances from thailand. Do not forget the area in question(in the gulf of Cambodia) is under khmer sovereignty according to the map used by ICJ in 1962.
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