Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Thai Ambassador Returns to Cambodia

2010-08-24
Xinhua

Thai Ambassador Prasas Prasasvinitchai who was absent from his post for nearly one year due to strained relations returned to Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on Tuesday evening.

Prasas Prasasvinitchai declined to speak to a crowd of reporters on arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport.

Thailand recalled its ambassador, Prasas Prasasvinitchai, on November 5 last year in protest against Cambodia's appointment of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as personal advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen and economic advisor to Cambodian government.

The Thai ambassador returned after Thaksin made a surprise resignation from the advisory posts on Monday.

Thai government said it would send back its ambassador to Cambodia hours after Cambodia announced Thaksin's resignation, and Cambodia said it would reciprocate its ambassador.

Koy Kuong, Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman, told Xinhua that Cambodian ambassador, Madame You Ay, would return to perform her duty on Wednesday.

The Cambodian government said that Thaksin Shinawatra has had difficulty in fulfilling his work as advisor.

Therefore Cambodia accepted his resignation and thanked him for his work in helping promote trade, tourism, agriculture and investment.

Thaksin has made several trips to Cambodia since he was appointed advisor on economic affairs last October.

Thailand downgraded its diplomatic relation with Cambodia by recalling ambassador since then and Cambodia made the same move.

Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006.

The territorial dispute between Cambodia and Thailand resulted in several military clashes after Cambodia's Preah Vihear Temple was registered as World Heritage Site in July 2008.

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