Thai fugitive ex-premier Thaksin ends third Cambodia visit

Thu, 21 Jan 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra left Cambodia for Dubai Thursday afternoon following an overnight visit, Cambodian government spokesman Prak Sokhon said. The visit was Thaksin's third to the Cambodian capital since being named an economic adviser to the government there in October, a move that put further strains on the already tense relationship between Thailand and Cambodia.

Prak Sokhon said he did not know whether Thaksin had met members of Puea Thai, the opposition political party in Thailand with which he is linked, during his stay.

On previous visits to Cambodia Thaksin met his political supporters from Thailand, who have vowed to escalate anti-government protests there.

Describing Thaksin's stay in Cambodia as "a stopover" en route to Dubai, Prak Sokhon said the former premier had not discussed the economy with government officials or with Prime Minister Hun Sen, with whom he dined Wednesday evening.

"When politicians meet politicians, they talk about politics," he said.

The visit was unlikely to improve ties between Thailand and Cambodia, which remain at their lowest level in years.

Cambodia appointed Thaksin, who has a two-year jail sentence still to serve in Thailand for abuse of power, as an economic adviser to the government and to Hun Sen.

Those appointments and Phnom Penh's refusal to extradite Thaksin outraged Bangkok and saw both countries withdraw their ambassadors and senior embassy staff. The ambassadors have yet to return.

This month, the Cambodian government rejected a demand by Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya that Phnom Penh dismiss Thaksin as an adviser before relations between the two countries could improve.

Bangkok considers the appointment of Thaksin, the de facto opposition leader, as interference in its internal politics.

Thaksin was prime minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006 before being toppled in a bloodless coup. He fled the country and has lived in self-imposed exile, mostly in Dubai, since August 2008.

The relationship between the two neighbours has been tense for more than a year with a number of clashes reported between their troops over a disputed piece of land near the 11th-century Preah Vihear border temple in northern Cambodia.

Cambodia firm on Thaksin job

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia, plunged to a new low late last year when Phnom Penh appointed the fugitive billionaire Thaksin (above) as an economics guru. -- PHOTO: Reuters

Jan 11, 2010
AFP

PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA refused on Monday to revoke the appointment of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser and said it was up to Bangkok to resolve the diplomatic row between the two countries.

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia, which have fought a string of deadly gunbattles on their border, plunged to a new low late last year when Phnom Penh appointed the fugitive billionaire Thaksin as an economics guru.

Both recalled their ambassadors in November and expelled senior diplomats, while diplomatic tensions soared further when Phnom Penh refused to extradite Thaksin during his first visit to Cambodia.

'It (the appointment of Thaksin) is the sovereign right of Cambodia. Thailand has no right to interfere in this issue,' Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told AFP in an interview. 'The appointment was made by the king's royal decree, we cannot revoke as (Thai Foreign Minister) Kasit Piromya has demanded.'

'It is not a childish game.'

Thailand's Kasit said in an interview with the Financial Times published on Monday that the two countries could not normalise relations until Cambodia revoked Thaksin's appointment.

Thaksin steps up Cambodia profile

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Australia Network News

Fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has made his first announcement since becoming an economic adviser to the Cambodian government two months ago.

A statement from Cambodia's economic and finance ministry says Mr Thaksin has pledged to fund two small-scale model farms.

Mr Thaksin has not disclosed how much funding he will provide, but suggested he will discuss the matter again next month.

The Kyodo news agency reports Mr Thaksin is planning to address Cambodian officials on tourism and investment.

Thaksin pledges to help Cambodia in agriculture

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 15 (KYODO) - Fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pledged Tuesday to help Cambodia in agriculture, the first actual move taken by Thaksin since he became an adviser to the Cambodian government on economic affairs nearly two months ago.

Takki Shinegra is Hun Xen's personal advisor?

Thaksin gets tacky over 'Takki'

November 27, 2009
The Nation

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra blasted the Foreign Ministry yesterday over the release of his alias on passฌports given by foreign countries, saying the ministry had sunk to its lowest point.

Vice foreign minister Panich Vikitsreth said on Wednesday Thaksin's name on passports issued by Nicaragua, Uganda and Montenegro had been changed to "Takki Shinegra".

In a Twitter note on his webฌsite yesterday Thaksin said a wellknown person like him did not need to change his name.

"A person like me is too wellknown to hide. It's useless for me to change the name since many people know me. I walk in department stores in any country [and] many people come to greet me," he said.

"I still use my old name but don't say I would have a sexual transplant. It can't be helped, as you guys are so stupid to revoke my Thai passport, so you have no way to trace me through non Thai documents.

"Don't challenge me to show my passports. I won't, since you would fake them electronically, 5555," Thaksin said in his note.

Panich insisted that he had evidence to prove Thaksin had changed his name in passports issued by Nicaragua and other countries.

"We got the information from reliable sources but I can't disclose them," he said.

"We are confident that Thaksin travelled in other names since we have checked with countries he visited, but did not find his name," he said.

Khmer Intelligence News - 25 November 2009

KHMER INTELLIGENCE NEWS

25 November 2009

First challenge to Hun Sen's foreign policy (1)

In a November 19 "message to the Cambodian people" opposition leader Sam Rainsy blasted Prime Minister Hun Sen for "playing a dangerous game" in his recent dealings with Thailand. The message reads, "Mr. Hun Sen is using a classical tactic to divert the Khmer people's attention" from other more serious problems such as "government corruption and incompetence" in the face of the economic crisis, by "exacerbating tensions" with Thailand. At the same time, he "forgets" to say that Cambodia has been losing large portions of her territories to Vietnam. The message concludes, "Cambodia should remain neutral in any internal dispute in any other country. Any spillover from the current tension or unrest in Thailand could be very detrimental to Cambodia, [which could be] set ablaze as past experiences have shown when we unnecessarily and unwisely took side in our neighbours' internal disputes."

Full text in Khmer at http://tinyurl.com/ybh45eo

Official translation in English at http://tinyurl.com/y8ls6k8

CPP Trinity dispute Sam Rainsy's border allegations (1)

The CPP Trinity made up of CPP and Senate President Chea Sim, Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Assembly President Heng Samrin wrote on November 16 to King Father Norodom Sihanouk in order to respond to Sam Rainsy's allegations that Vietnamese authorities have been grabbing Cambodian farmers' land in Svay Rieng province.

The country's top three leaders claim, "Up to now, not a single Cambodian farmer [living near the border with Vietnam] has lost their rice field [because of alleged border encroachments by the Vietnamese authorities]." Read their letter in Khmer at http://tinyurl.com/ylexj9s

But countless villagers who live in the border area and have lost their rice fields because of effective border encroachments by the Vietnamese authorities, confirm what Sam Rainsy said in his November 7 letter in French to the King Father http://tinyurl.com/y8p79td

Villagers' grievances can be heard by clicking at http://tinyurl.com/ybj39re (SRP video tape), at http://tinyurl.com/yaordzv (RFA video tape) and at http://tinyurl.com/yjeerop (RFA audio tape).

Army report confirms border encroachments by Vietnam (1)

A 1999 report by then Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) Commander-in-Chief General Ke Kim Yan to Prime Minister Hun Sen indicates that Vietnam has been surreptitiously and illegally annexing stretches of Cambodia's territories in several provinces along our eastern border since 1979. The newly leaked report details several cases where Vietnamese civilians protected by armed soldiers or militiamen grabbed land belonging to Cambodian farmers and moved border markers well inside Cambodian territory. Read the original 8-page report in Khmer at http://tinyurl.com/yjypg2s

Land grabbing due to both internal and external reasons (2)

An increasing number of Cambodian farmers are falling victim to land grabbing that is due to both internal and external reasons. Only a few opposition Members of Parliament led by Sam Rainsy have stood up against those human rights violations and held protests on the spot.

To watch protests against land grabbing in inner Cambodia (Kampong Chhnang province and Phnom Penh) please click at http://tinyurl.com/yz88hsc and at http://tinyurl.com/ylhkuap

To watch a protest against land grabbing on Cambodia's border (Svay Rieng province) please click at http://tinyurl.com/yk7w9tq

Cambodia's Border Committee raises its voice (1)

The independent Paris-based Cambodia's Border Committee (CBC), which has been denouncing the Phnom Penh government policy with regard to border delineation process, issued on November 23 a statement giving its point of view on the current judicial proceedings against Sam Rainsy whom the government accuses of incitement, destruction of public property and threatening national security. The CBC argues that the wooden poles which Sam Rainsy symbolically pulled out, were not public property because they were planted on a private property without the consent of its legal owner. There had been no expropriation proceedings and no compensation paid to the land owner. Therefore the owner had the right to dispose of the wooden poles in question. Read full statement in French at http://tinyurl.com/ycqyz5t

Thaksin to receive $425 per month from the Cambodian government (3)

Following his appointment earlier this month as the 117th official adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen, fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will receive a monthly salary of US$425 from the Cambodian government. Strangely enough, among the legion of Hun Sen's advisers, Thaksin has been given no special status such as "Senior Adviser" or "President of the Prime Minister's Advisory Council." He just seems to be "primus inter pares."

[End]

No fuss about ex-PM's move

15/11/2009
Bangkok Post

PHNOM PENH : The appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra as Cambodia's economic adviser and his four-day visit may have enraged the Thai government, but Cambodian media think differently.

"It [Thaksin's appointment] is normal for this country, which has had many foreign economic advisers, including South Korean President Lee Myung-bak," said Ky Soklim, a freelance reporter.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen named Mr Lee, who is a former chief executive officer of manufacturing giant Hyundai Engineering, as his special economic adviser in 2000.

By the time Mr Lee was elected president last year, which saw him end his role as Hun Sen's adviser, South Korea had become the second-largest investor in Cambodia.

Ky Soklim said he fully threw his support behind the appointment of Thaksin because he believed he would help pull a lot of people in his country out of poverty.

"We want someone to help draw more investment into Cambodia and we believe he is able to do that," he said.

When asked why the Phnom Penh administration did not appoint a Cambodian to the position, he said the government needed some experienced foreigners to help develop the economy.

Eng Vutha, a reporter from Rasami Angkor newspaper, said "appointing a foreigner to be my country's economic adviser is not a new thing here. Why does Thailand blow up this issue?"

He urged the Thai government to review its diplomatic relations with Cambodia as quickly as possible for the benefit of the two countries.

Chao Bun Hao, a reporter from Sin Chew daily newspaper, said Thailand should treat the matter as a minor issue.

"In Cambodia, people see there is nothing behind this appointment," said Hao.

Hao said to solve diplomatic problems, the Thai and Cambodian governments must meet mid-way. More importantly, the two countries must try to avoid doing anything that might affect their relations even further.

He said Cambodia is a poor country, so it needed to learn from other people with good experience and apply it to economic development.

Thaksin Roaming fugitive tycoon

AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

BANGKOK, Nov 11 - Thailand's ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra continues to fan the flames of political and social turmoil at home while he roams the world in exile to escape a prison term for corruption.

His latest move, provoking his foes in the Thai government by visiting neighbouring Cambodia this week to take up an economic advisory role, has provoked a diplomatic row between the bickering nations.

It caps a year of manoeuvres by the former policeman turned telecoms mogul turned politician aimed at returning home in triumph more than three years after he was toppled in a military coup.

But despite his enduring popularity in many parts of Thai society, analysts said he risks losing support if he throws in his lot with a country that Thailand has fought deadly skirmishes with in the past year.

"He is carrying on his crusade but using Thailand's national dignity as a pawn and even his supporters might think twice about that," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

Thaksin, 60, turned fugitive in August 2008 when he failed to return from the Olympic Games in Beijing ahead of court rulings that froze his assets and gave him a two-year jail term over the illegal sale of shares in his company.

He had only returned to Thailand a few months earlier after nearly two years abroad following the September 2006 coup.

Since last year, Thaksin has divorced his wife and collected new passports, including from Nicaragua and Montenegro, while globetrotting to pursue business interests including mines in Africa and consultancy roles.

Early this year the government of Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva unsuccessfully attempted to extradite Thaksin during a visit to Hong Kong. The former premier said he had been living mostly in Dubai.

But wherever he has roamed, Thaksin has never seemed far from Thailand's political fray, rousing his "Red Shirt" protesters to stage huge protests and recently opening a Twitter account.

The Red Shirts forced the early closure of a meeting of regional leaders in April, leading to deadly riots in Bangkok streets that were only quelled with the threat of a military crackdown.

Demonstrations by his opponents have proven equally unruly, with the rival "Yellow Shirts" besieging Bangkok's airports in November-December 2009 in a bid to force Thaksin's allies from power.

The rival protests further highlighted the rifts between rich and poor in Thai society, upon which Thaksin partly capitalised to become the country's only twice-elected premier.

His reputation as a corrupt authoritarian leader made him a hated figure among Thailand's established elites but meant little to the majority of the rural poor, who continue to view him as a hero.

Thaksin was born on July 26, 1949, into one of the most prominent ethnic Chinese families in northern Chiang Mai province.

He joined the police force in 1973 but soon turned his hand to small business and then founded what would later become telecoms giant Shin Corp.

He sealed his reputation as a skilled businessman with the purchase of Manchester City football club, which he finally sold last year following the Thai courts' seizure of his fortune.

In 1998 he moved into politics when he formed his own political party, Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais), seducing voters with his business savvy and populist policies including cheap healthcare and microcredit schemes.

But his habit of installing relatives in key posts angered opponents, while a 2003 "war on drugs" outraged rights activists who said more than 2,200 people died in extrajudicial killings.

Thaksin's personal profit in office gave his enemies a cause to rally around, leading to mass "Yellow Shirt" protests and the 2006 coup, but he continues to loom large over Thai society.

Thaksin is my economic adviser, he could not be sent back : Hun Sen

Wed, November 11, 2009
The Nation

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said Wednesday that his government had rejected Thaksin's extradition request because former PM Thaksin Shinawatra is economic adviser to him and his government, an apointment approved by the Cambodian king.

Speaking to reporters in a press conference, Hun Sen read out a statement, detailing why the Cambodian Foreign Ministry handed back Thai documents submitted to seek Thaksin's extradition.

Thaksin was also present at the press conference.

He also handed out the copy of the statement to Thaksin who was seated next to him.

The Cambodian authority referred to Article 3 of the Extraction treaty between the two countries which prohibits extraditing a person for a political offence.

Thaksin Shinawatra - Top-Crook lands Top Job

Tuesday 10. Nov 2009
Australia.to

Criminal fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra was appointed senior governmental adviser for economics in Cambodia. Thaksin, responsible also for vast environmental destruction, the persecution of the Akha people and sick ventures like the Chian-Mai Night-Zoo for which he wanted to steal wildlife from Kenya must be attractive to the Cambodians because the economy of the crooks seems to rule today's world.

Thailand on Monday accused ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra of offending the country's monarchy, stepping up pressure on the fugitive tycoon as he prepares for a provocative trip to neighboring Cambodia. The Thai government also said it was preparing a formal extradition request for Thaksin, who was toppled in a 2006 coup, when he visits Phnom Penh this week in his new capacity as economics adviser to the Cambodian leadership.

ASEAN said on Monday that the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has triggered anxiety in the organisation. ''This is not just a border dispute any more because it has caused anxiety in ASEAN and could affect the image and profile of the body,'' the Secretary-General of ASEAN Surin Pitsuwan told ambassadors for the organisation in Jakarta.

Thai fury as Thaksin arrives in Cambodia

November 10, 2009

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Relations between Cambodia and Thailand took a further turn for the worse Tuesday, after ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Phnom Penh to begin his new job there.

Thaksin arrived in Cambodia Tuesday to begin his first day as an economic adviser, a move that has infuriated Thailand.

In response to the relationship with Thaksin, Thailand has suspended its cooperation with Cambodia, a Thai government official said Tuesday.

Thailand has also suspended a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia, an agreement that governs an overlapping waterway between the two countries, said Panitan Wattanayakorn, a Thai government spokesman.

Thai officials also plan to send out an extradition request to Cambodia for Thaksin, the spokesman said.

The actions are the latest moves in worsening relations between the southeast Asian countries that were sparked by Cambodia's hiring of Thaksin.

Last week, Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Cambodia and, in response, Cambodia pulled its top diplomat to Thailand.

Cambodian officials said Thaksin arrived Tuesday and had a welcome luncheon with Prime Minister Hun Sen and the two were expected to have a friendly dinner later.

Cambodia had not received extradition papers from Thailand, government spokesman Phay Siphan said.

Thaksin, a billionaire businessman who served two terms as prime minister, was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006. Thaksin fled Bangkok last year while facing trial on corruption charges that he said were politically motivated.

Though he has fled the country he remains a controversial figure in Thailand and there have been violent clashes in the country between pro and anti-Thaksin groups.

CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.

Thaksin to lecture 300 Cambodians Thursday

November 9, 2009
The Nation

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Sunday that ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Cambodia to give a lecture on economic matters in Phnom Penh on Thursday.

Kyodo News reported quoting Hun Sen as telling a news conference at Phnom Penh airport that Thaksin will address a group of 300 Cambodians. Hun Sen has appointed Thaksin as his economic adviser.

The appointment has further strained Cambodia's relations with Thailand, with the two countries locked in a festering territorial dispute.

Hun Sen made a one-hour statement shortly after arriving back from a trip to Tokyo where he attended an international conference on the development of the Mekong River region hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Cambodian PM says ousted Thai leader will visit

November 08, 2009

PHNOM PENH (AP) — Cambodia's prime minister says Thailand's fugitive ex-leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, will be in Cambodia next week to lecture on economic matters, a visit bound to inflame an already worsening diplomatic row between the neighbors.

Prime Minister Hun Sen says Thaksin will speak Thursday to more than 300 economists in the Cambodian capital.

Hun Sen made the announcement Sunday, just days after saying Thaksin had been named an economic adviser to the government.

The appointment has further soured relations between the two neighbors, which have had small but sometimes deadly skirmishes over their land border in the past year.

Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup and is living in exile to avoid a two-year prison sentence on abuse of power charges.

Thaksin to explain Cambodian case

8/11/2009
Bangkok Post

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra posted a Twitter message on Sunday, saying he will explain the Thai-Cambodian situation on Tuesday.

"You may wonder why I have not spoken about the Cambodian issue. Let he government and the Foreign Ministry do the craziest things they want, then I'll explain the situation on a radio programme this Tuesday," the message said.

The diplomatic ties between the two countries turned sour after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed ousted premier Thaksin as his economic advisor. Thailand then recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh, and the Cambodian government later pulled its ambassador out of Bangkok.

The Thai government announced Friday it may back out of an offshore border agreement with Cambodia.

Cancel other pacts, financial aid projects to Cambodia, PAD urges

The People's Alliance for Democracy, who campaigned last year against Cambodia and Thaksin (file photo) want the government to take action after Phnom Penh hired the fugitive ex-premier.

8/11/2009
Bangkok Post

The government should consider cancelling other agreements with Cambodia to show its displeasure, after Cambodia hired former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser, says the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The PAD threw its support behind Friday's decision by the government to cancel a memorandum of understanding on development of an overlapping maritime area in the Gulf of Thailand.

But it said the Democrat Party-led government should step up its protest action, by reviewing other agreements with the country, evicting Cambodians who have illegally settled in disputed border areas claimed by both countries, and cancelling all aid projects for Cambodia.

A PAD rally persuaded the previous government backed by Thaksin to reverse its support for Cambodia's decision to list the ruins of the 11th century Hindu temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site, under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

The decision to scrap the MoU on the maritime boundary has led to a spat between the Democrats and opposition Puea Thai Party.

The Democrats have criticised Thaksin's decision to accept Cambodia's offer to advise Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his government.

The ruling party, as expected, supports the government's move to review all MoUs signed by the Thaksin administration with Thailand's neighbour.

They must be reviewed to protect Thailand's interests, said Democrat spokesman Buranat Samutarak.

The government fears that if Thaksin begins to act as Cambodia's adviser, he could put Thailand in a disadvantageous position.

Mr Buranat said bilateral relations with Cambodia had turned sour because of Mr Thaksin's lack of conscience.

Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger sister, told Puea Thai supporters in Ayutthaya yesterday that her brother had no intention of damaging the country.

Thaksin said advising Cambodia was a neighbourly thing to do, and could result in benefits to Thailand.

Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as his personal and government adviser on economic affairs on Oct 27. The appointment was announced last Wednesday.

BOT chief downplays concerns over Thai-Cambodian tension

BANGKOK, Nov 7 (TNA) – Bank of Thailand (BoT) Governor Tarisa Wattanagase on Friday downplayed concerns over the political tension between Thailand and Cambodia, saying it would not worsen significantly because both countries had forged good bilateral relations over a long period.

Thailand has downgraded its diplomatic ties with Cambodia following the formal appointment of convicted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra as the Cambodian PM’s economic and personal advisor.

She said the political tension between the neighbouring countries might shake confidence among Thai investors in Cambodia, but the central bank projected it would not affect the bilateral ties as the two countries had maintained good relations for a long time.

“The political tension is the government-to-government problem. The people of both countries still have good relations with each other," she said.

Mrs Tarisa added the Thai economy had already bottomed out. The government had initiated investment projects in various fields and managed to implement its policies quickly.

With these factors and the strong economic fundamental, she said, the Thai economy began recovering in the second quarter of this year and continued picking up in the third quarter.

Based on data in the second and third quarter, she projected the Thai economy would continue recovering as could be witnessed by the improved exports and increased private investment.

Although the economic growth remains fragile, it should be seen as a good sign for the country’s economy, she said.

Thailand wish to protect Thai justice system : PM [-Is Thai judicial system that vulnerable?]

Fri, November 6, 2009
The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted on Friday that Thailand has downgraded its diplomatic ties with Cambodia to protect the Thai judicial system and the benefits of the Thai people.

He was speaking attending the first Mekong-Japan Summit in the Japanese capital of Tokyo, where Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia was also present.

"I think that the Thai government and Thai people have (remained) patient over the matter for a while. 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. 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.

The Thai premier said 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.

Thailand-Cambodia Tensions Rise over Appointment of Fugitive Thai Official

06 November 2009
By Daniel Schearf
Voice of America
Bangkok

Tensions between Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Cambodia are high after Cambodia's leader appointed a fugitive former Thai prime minister as an advisor. Both countries have withdrawn their ambassadors and claim interference in their internal affairs.

Regional political analysts say relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh are the worst they have been in several years.

On Friday, Cambodia withdrew its ambassador to Thailand, in retaliation for Bangkok's withdrawal of its ambassador the day before. Thailand's action came after the Cambodian government of Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed fugitive Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic advisor.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls the appointment interference in its domestic affairs and a failure to respect its judicial system.

Thani Thonthongpakdi is a Foreign Ministry spokesman. He says Thai-Cambodia relations have been tested for over a year, and tensions are rising.

"We believe that we had to send a strong signal to Cambodia regarding their recent action. I think that the extant to which our bilateral relations will be affected, we will have to see what the reaction on the Cambodian side is," he said.

Thailand says it is now reviewing all its existing agreements and cooperation projects with Cambodia.

Thani says the government will most likely postpone or reduce projects if Mr. Thaksin's appointment goes ahead.

Koy Kuong, a spokesman for Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, says despite Thailand's objections, the government will go ahead with Mr. Thaksin's appointment. He says the Thai government is interfering in Cambodia's internal affairs by objecting to the appointment.

"The government of Cambodia has no intention to worsen the relationship between the two countries because of the appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to the government. So, it is the Thai side which views [it] in [a] different way," he said.

Koy Kuong says Cambodia views the charges against the former prime minister as politically motivated.

Mr. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup and fled Thailand last year to avoid a jail term for corruption.

The former leader is still popular in Thailand's countryside and among the poor because of his social welfare projects.

The argument adds to growing tensions over a disputed border area where sporadic fighting has broken out.

Puangtong Pawakapan is a professor of politics at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. She says Cambodia's appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra is pay-back against the Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for disputing the listing of a temple along the border as a world heritage site. The temple is in Cambodia, but Thailand controls land around it.

"I don't think Hun Sen invited Thaksin to be his advisor because he really needs Thaksin's advice no economic issues … I think it's [a] political issue and it's emotional retaliation of Hun Sen on the Abhisit government," said Pawakapan.

The Thailand's ambassador was last withdrawn in 2003 when rioters burned down the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh after a Thai actress questioned Cambodian sovereignty over the border temple.

Despite the withdrawal of ambassadors, both Thailand and Cambodia say normal business and travel relations will not be affected.

Thailand and Cambodia in fresh row

Friday, November 06, 2009
Al Jazeera

Thailand has threatened to seal the border with Cambodia a day after both countries recalled their respective ambassadors over a dispute involving Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister.

The warning came amid an escalating diplomatic row triggered by Cambodia's appointment of Thaksin as economic adviser.

The Cambodian government made the announcement on state television late on Wednesday, almost two weeks after Hun Sen, the prime minister, first floated the idea at a summit of Asian leaders.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, is currently living in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail term for corruption if he returns to Thailand.

Thai officials said there were no plans for Abhisit Vejjajjiva, the Thai prime minister, to meet Hun Sen at a summit of Mekong River basin nations in Tokyo over the weekend.

Suthep Thaugsuban, the deputy prime minister, said on Friday that there were no reports of any incidents along the border so far and trading was going on as normal.

"If Cambodia still adopts a hard line and uncompromising attitude, then we must continue to downgrade relations and maybe seal off all border checkpoints," he said.

"Thaksin should ask Cambodian authorities to secure the Thai embassy and Thai interests in Cambodia."

Oil deal

The two sides have fought in series of deadly skirmishes since July 2008 over disputed land that surrounds the ancient Preah Vihear temple on the border.

Thai officials also said the government plans to scrap a 2001 oil and gas exploration deal with its neighbour to jointly develop a disputed area in the Gulf of Thailand.

The deal was signed during Thaksin's tenure.

"The foreign ministry has decided to terminate the memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Cambodia to develop the overlapping area which was signed by the Thaksin government," Kasit Piromya, the Thai foreign minister, said.

Kasit said the deal for a 26,000sq km area had made no progress in the last eight years and he would propose to the cabinet next week that it should be scrapped.

"The ministry believes that the appointment of Thaksin directly affects the agreement as he was fully aware of Thailand's position in dealing with Cambodia," Kasit said by telephone from the regional Tokyo summit.

In 2003 Cambodian protesters set fire to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh, again after both countries recalled their ambassadors in a diplomatic row.

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.