Thaksin's Cambodia visit complicates task for govt

August 18, 2011
By SUPALAK GANJANAKHUNDEE
THE NATION

Yingluck administration will face accusations of conflict of interest if it allows her brother to influence bilateral ties

A plan to visit Cambodia by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for private business threatens to undermine attempts by the new government to restore relations with Phnom Penh, as his trip might revive the allegation of conflict of interest.

Senior officials in the government yesterday tried to distance themselves from Thaksin's plan to visit Cambodia, saying the former prime minister was not a representative of the Thai government.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thaksin's trip to Cambodia was his private business, and he was not a representative of Thailand negotiating bilateral relations with Phnom Penh.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said he was not even aware of Thaksin's plan to visit Cambodia. "I did not check about his trip and what he wants to do there," he said.

The visit is apparently to discuss a business deal on petroleum concession in the area of overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand and to help restore relations damaged by the conflict over Preah Vihear Temple with the previous government.

Thaksin's close aide Noppadon Pattama said there was no clarity yet on the visit's plan but if Thaksin does go to Phnom Penh, it would be to see his close friend Prime Minister Hun Sen.

"I can make an assurance that Thaksin has no personal business that is in conflict with Thailand's national interest. What he would do is help restore relations," Noppadon said.

Surapong, who entered his office at the Foreign Ministry for the first time yesterday, said he had not discussed Thaksin with ministry officials. He said they would work together to map out a strategy on Cambodia.

Prime Minister Yingluck has assigned him to prepare a strategy to restore relations with Phnom Penh as well as take a proper stance on the World Heritage Convention, which the previous government had decided to denounce.

Asked whether he would reactivate the 2001 memorandum of understanding on the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Thailand to enable negotiations on joint development of the area, Surapong said he would discuss the issue with officials at the Foreign Ministry.

Thaksin and two of his proxy governments under late Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat were accused of exchanging support for Phnom Penh to list the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site in return for interest in a petroleum concession in the Gulf of Thailand.

Thailand signed the MoU with Cambodia in 2001 to negotiate on the areas claimed by both sides in the gulf, which is believed to have abundant reserves of gas. The negotiations over the past years have never made any progress over profit-sharing in the joint development area.

The government under Abhisit Vejjajiva downgraded relations with Cambodia and announced the scrapping of the 2001 MoU in response to Hun Sen's appointment of Thaksin as an adviser to the Cambodian government and the decision to reject a request to extradite the fugitive ex-leader to face a prison sentence at home.

Thaksin was convicted and sentenced to two years' jail for abuse of authority by granting permission to his wife to buy a piece of land from a state agency while he was holding a political position.

Thaksin is always welcome in Cambodia and the current Thai government has no policy to block his movement abroad. But Thaksin and the new government will not be able to escape the accusation of conflict of interest. Although no one can prove, so far, Thaksin's business deal with Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, it is politically incorrect for this government to associate Thaksin, who is the elder brother of Prime Minister Yingluck, with Thai-Cambodian relations.

Defence Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha is preparing to hold a meeting of the General Border Committee early next month to discuss military arrangements along the border areas after a series of clashes early this year.

Thaksin was said to be using his personal connections to help improve relations and also secure the release of two Thai nationalist activists - Veera Somkwamkidand and Ratree Pipattanapaiboon - who were jailed last December on the charge of espionage.

Surapong, who has not yet fixed the date for his visit to Cambodia, said he would try his best to negotiate with authorities in Phnom Penh to secure the release of the jailed Thai activists. He declined to say whether he would seek Thaksin's help on the matter.

Surapong's capability of serving as foreign minister has already been questioned because his connections with Thaksin. He was reportedly appointed to the post to facilitate Thaksin's travels abroad. His first job was to get a special visa for Thaksin to enter Japan. Surapong yesterday rejected the allegation, saying he just told Japan that his government had no policy to block Thaksin. He denied requesting a visa for him.

Surapong was widely criticised for serving Thaksin more than the country.

"I know it is said I'm the worst minister of Thailand but that reputation might be good for me, as it can't get any worse. I will do my best to improve my score," he said.

"I will prove myself that I work for the country."