Thanida Tansubhapol
Bangkok Post
The Department of Special Investigation has been left reeling after Cambodia angrily rejected its claims that a group of red shirt supporters received weapons training on its territory.
The DSI now finds itself in the middle of a diplomatic spat which could have been avoided had it kept its opinions to itself or at least raised its concerns through diplomatic or political channels rather than airing its claims through the media.
Eleven men were arrested on Oct 2 at Doi Ku Fah resort in Chiang Mai's Mae On subdistrict.
They allegedly told DSI investigators they were among 39 red shirt supporters who received weapons training in Siem Reap in preparation to assassinate key public figures.
Panitan Wattanayagorn, the prime minister's deputy secretary-general, says the DSI is now trying to verify the claims, after Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan insisted on Oct 11 the weapons training had never taken place. He said the allegation was a "made-up story [designed] to blame Cambodia".
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen, discussed the issue on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Summit in Brussels two weeks ago.
Hun Sen promised to investigate. Given Hun Sen's willingness to cooperate, why did the DSI feel it necessary to air the matter in the media?
It may not have known what Mr Abhisit and Hun Sen had agreed, which shows that one arm of the government is apparently unaware of what the other is doing.
The diplomatic spat between Thailand and Cambodia over the weapons training claims has raised new concerns after Mr Abhisit and Hun Sen made promising strides in improving bilateral relations at a meeting in New York only last month.
Mr Abhisit proposed to Hun Sen during those talks that the two leaders talk to each other directly if problems in the relationship arise, rather than responding to reports in the media.
"We promised to talk to each other more," Mr Abhisit said at the time. "I think many problems have emerged from us attacking each other or from third parties trying to undermine our relationship."
The DSI's premature utterances threaten to undermine the pledge made by the leaders.
The relationship has only recently recovered after a diplomatic spat set off by Hun Sen's decision to appoint former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as his adviser.
The Thai government recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh, Prasas Prasasvinitchai, last November in protest.
Thaksin resigned from the position in August and relations between the two countries started to improve.
Mr Prasas has since returned to Phnom Penh.
Mr Abhisit said the latest row could have been avoided had the two countries honoured their pledges in New York. Hopefully, the DSI will take this as a lesson to be more guarded about its utterances.
No comments:
Post a Comment