Friday, November 06, 2009

Thai PM stands firm on downgrading diplomatic ties with Cambodia

TOKYO, Nov 6 (TNA) - Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reaffirmed on Friday that Thailand has downgraded its diplomatic ties with neighbouring Cambodia in an attempt to protect the Thai judicial system and the benefits of the Thai people, following the appointment of convicted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as economic adviser to the Cambodian government.

The Thai premier made comments while he was attending the first Mekong-Japan Summit in the Japanese capital of Tokyo, where Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia was also present.

Mr Abhisit said that the downgraded diplomatic ties is a retaliation by Thailand against the Cambodian government after it appointed Mr Thaksin as personal adviser to Mr Hun Sen and as economic advisor to the Cambodian government, while also insisting it will not extradite Mr Thaksin if he stays in Cambodia.

"I think that the Thai government and Thai people have (remained) patient over the matter for a while," said the Thai premier. "This problem needs to be solved by the two countries, but the problem is not caused by the Thai government."

"It depends on the Cambodian government to consider what to do after this," said Mr Abhisit. "We will give them time to reconsider, as the incident has just happened."

The Thai premier added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has steps in the mechanism on downgrading diplomatic relations and had prepared the next appropriate diplomatic move towards Cambodia and that his government will consider in what aspect should be accelerated or delayed.

Mr Abhisit reasserted that the Thai government will not do anything to cause violence and that the action of the Thai government will not affect the interest of Thai people.

When asked what to do if Cambodian government remains unresponsive to the matter, the Thai premier said that Thailand has already expressed its stance at a certain level and will consider further measures in accordance with circumstances.

The Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry on Thursday recalled the Thai ambassador to Phnom Penh and announced it will review all existing bilateral agreements and cooperation projects made with Cambodia, as its first retaliation against the Cambodian government for interfering in Thailand’s domestic affairs and failure to respect Thailand’s judicial system.

Cambodia later withdrew its envoy to Thailand in a reciprocal action.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

លោកសៀមអើយបើបិតព្រុំប្រទល់សូមឲ្យបិតជារាងរហូតកុំឲ្យបើកវិញអូរខេ!សូមលោកសៀមយក
លោកសមរង្សីទៅនៅស្រុកលោកទៀតទៅពលរដ្ធ
ខ្មែរមិនចង់បានទេហើយពលរដ្ធខ្មែរថែមលោកគឹម
សុខាឲ្យមួយទៀត។បើលោកសៀមយកអ្នកទាំងពីរ
នេះចេញពីស្រុកខ្មែរយើងជាប្រជាជនខ្មែរអបអរសាទលោកសៀម!

11:04 PM

Anonymous said...

Then Tahi army should launch a full scale to get Thaksin and to overthrow Hun Sen. It is a good pretex right now.

Anonymous said...

ខ្មែរឈ្លោះជាមួយសៀម ធ្វើអោយពួកយួនសប្បាយចិត្តខ្លាំងណាស់។