Logo

30/10/2009
Bangkok Post

Despite gushing official statements, the Abhisit government's performance at the recent Asean Summit was disappointing.

The so-called achievements in Hua Hin and Cha-am were too little compared with the huge budget spent in organising the three-day event.

The 15th summit got off on an inauspicious start, as four heads of state and government failed to show up at the official opening.

The Thai-Cambodian spat over deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra did not contribute in any way to the grouping's quest for unity, friendship and cooperation.

Prime Minister Abhisit's tit-for-tat against his Cambodian counterpart was uncalled for, as Thailand was the host of the meeting. He should have reserved his criticism for some other occasion.

Many issues have been left unsolved after the meeting, including the lifting of import tax among the 10 member countries, the Thai-Philippine rice tariff, free investment regulations, and the fate of Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi.

Asean's dream of becoming a unified community remains just that - a distant dream. If Thailand and Cambodia are still at each other's throats, how can the group become unified?

30/10/2009
Bangkok Post

The Puea Thai Party's Chalerm Yubamrung has taken the prime minister to task over the government plan to ask Cambodia to extradite Thaksin Shinawatra should the fugitive former prime minster visit that country.

The Puea Thai core MP engaged Abhisit Vejjajiva in heated debate in parliament yesterday over state policy on the extradition of Thaksin.

The debate occurred during an interpellation submitted on the extradition issue. The interpellation, which should have lasted 20 minutes, instead stretched to two hours.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told last week's Asean summit in Hua Hin and Cha-am he would not hand over Thaksin if he set foot in Cambodia.

Mr Chalerm argued Thaksin was convicted for a political crime stemming from the Ratchadaphisek land case and such a crime was not covered by the extradition agreement.

"I want to ask the PM who graduated overseas whether he's ever studied the extradition agreement," he said.

Mr Abhisit insisted the extradition request would apply if Thaksin went to Cambodia. But Thaksin had the right to appeal to the court against extradition.

"I wonder why you [Mr Chalerm] are the spokesman of a foreign country, speaking on its behalf," Mr Abhisit said.

"I have a duty to protect the national interest."

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said the two-year jail term handed down to Thaksin met the extradition agreement.

Meanwhile, MPs who failed to attend a meeting of the lower house on Wednesday night could be punished for causing a lack of quorum which delayed consideration of important bills, government chief whip Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said.

Parliamentary staff would check who was absent while Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban would consider what disciplinary action should be taken.

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand and Cambodia have descended into a loud political feud about Bangkok's 2006 coup, and Thailand's current threat to demand the extradition of its fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The rift between the two Buddhist-majority nations in the heart of Southeast Asia was expected to worsen if Mr. Thaksin accepts Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's surprise offer of a temporary house.

"There is an extradition process," warned Thailand's powerful Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Tuesday (October 27).

"The turmoil following Cambodian leader Hun Sen's remarks, about ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra being welcome in his country, has thrown the government into a spin," the Bangkok Post newspaper, which opposes Mr. Thaksin, reported on Tuesday (October 27).

Ratcheting up his rhetoric, Mr. Hun Sen compared Mr. Thaksin to Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has languished under house arrest in Rangoon for 14 years.

"Many people are talking about Mrs. Suu Kyi of Burma. Why can't I talk about the victim, Thaksin?" Mr. Hun Sen said on October 23.

"That cannot be regarded as interference by Cambodia into Thai internal affairs. Without the coup d'etat in 2006, such a thing would not have happened," Hun Sen said.

Soft-spoken Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva lashed out Mr. Hun Sen's remarks.

"There are few people in the world who believe Thaksin is similar to that of Mr. Suu Kyi," Mr. Abhisit said later that day.

"I hope Prime Minister Hun Sen will receive the right information and change his mind on the matter."

Cambodia's government spokesman Phay Siphan said on October 23: "Cambodia has a right to offer Thaksin to visit Cambodia, and we have no obligation to send him back to Thailand."

If "former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra wishes to travel to Cambodia anytime...the Cambodian prime minister is ready to prepare a residence for [his] stay in Cambodia," reported Cambodia's government-run TVK television on October 22, according to Agence-France Presse.

Mr. Thaksin has been an international fugitive, based mostly in Dubai, dodging a two-year prison sentence for a conflict of interest.

That conviction involved a Bangkok real estate deal -- for his now divorced wife -- which was arranged when he was prime minister.

Mr. Thaksin became prime minister in 2001 when most voters elected the billionaire telecommunications tycoon, hoping he would boost the economy and modernize Thailand.

Mr. Thaksin was removed in September 2006 by Thailand's U.S.-trained military in a bloodless coup when they used tanks, armored personnel carriers, Humvees and other weapons to seize power.

He has unsuccessfully tried to return to power with the help of allied politicians, and get back his two billion U.S. dollars worth of assets which the coup leaders froze.

International human rights groups, however, want Mr. Thaksin investigated for his role in the alleged extrajudicial murder of more than 2,000 people during his government's "war on drugs."

Mr. Thaksin remains politically active in self-exile.

He helps lead a mass movement of so-called "Red Shirts" who claim to represent Thailand's majority lower classes, especially in the countryside.

Together they demand an immediate election, expecting Mr. Thaksin's allies to win.

They are opposed by the "Yellow Shirts" who claim to support Thailand's urban middle class and constitutional monarchy.

Led by Sondhi Limthongkul, the Yellow Shirts blockaded Bangkok's international and domestic airports in November 2008 for eight days, stranding more than 300,000 people worldwide.

Their blockade helped weaken a government allied to Mr. Thaksin, and paved the way for Parliament to elect Mr. Abhisit.

Mr. Abhisit's fragile coalition government enjoys the military's support, and much of his personal security is handled by the military.

Thailand's wealthy elite have mostly thrown their weight behind Mr. Abhisit as well, and appear nervous about Mr. Thaksin and the Red Shirts plotting to destabilize Bangkok.

Cambodia's prime minister has thrown a wild card into this dangerous mix, apparently hoping to attract big investments by Mr. Thaksin and weaken Bangkok's strategy over a smoldering border dispute, according to some analysts.

"It is true that I would invite former Prime Minister Thaksin to visit Cambodia anytime, and to be my economic advisor," Mr. Hun Sen said on October 22.

Thailand and Cambodia are former war-time enemies -- and current investment partners -- so the stakes are high for all sides to quell their public sniping.

Occasional killings on both sides have continued in and around the ancient stone ruins of Preah Vihear, a Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodian border.

That dispute dates back to the 1950s, and continued even after the International Court in the Hague, Netherlands, confirmed Cambodia's ownership in 1962.

The conflict flared again after the ruins were declared a World Heritage Site in July 2008 by the World Heritage Committee, based on Cambodia's proposal to cash in on its tourism potential.

Thailand and Cambodia have suffered much worse relations in the past.

After Richard Nixon became president of the United States in 1969, he used Thailand as one of several military staging areas for heavy aerial bombing raids against communists in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, until America's wars ended in 1975 -- one year after Nixon's presidency -- with the U.S. defeated in all three countries.

Washington and Bangkok later indirectly backed Cambodia's communist Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, when his jungle-based guerrillas were in a loose alliance with other Cambodian rebels fighting against Vietnam's 1979-1989 occupation of Cambodia.

Thai and Cambodian politicians have been fleeing to each other's country for the past 50 years, seeking sanctuary from coups, arrest warrants, and other threats.

In 1957, when Thai dictator Field Marshall Sarit Thanarat unleashed a military coup against Prime Minister Phibun Songkram, the toppled leader fled Thailand for Cambodia in his Ford Thunderbird car.

By Richard S. Ehrlich
Scoop (New Zealand)

30/10/2009
Bangkok Post

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra early on Friday denied a media report that he will go to Cambodia to celebrate Loy Krathong and to thank Cambodian leader Hun Sen for his promise not to allow his extradition to Thailand.

“I will not go to Cambodia and will stay here in a Muslim country,” Thaksin said on his twitter@thaksinlive website.

The ex-premier said that from Nov 1 he will be able to directly contact Thai people via SMS. “If you want to discuss economic matters, lock on to 'follow' in 'thaksinbiz'.''

Regarding his loss of his police rank, Thaksin said it was now clear that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is a supporter of the People’s Alliance for Democracy.

Citing Puea Thai MP for Samut Prakarn Pracha Prasopdee, most local dailies reported on Friday morning that Thaksin will on Nov 2 travel by his personal jet to Cambodia.

Mr Abhisit on Thursday reaffirmed that if Thaksin does turn up in Cambodia his government would seek his extradition.

By Khmerization

Two Thai policemen were accused of using excessive force against an unarmed Cambodian lady and her 8 year-old daughter while they were catching crabs and snails at a creek along the borders, reports Radio Free Asia.

48 year-old Hourn Han from Samakki village, Kork Romiet commune in Thmor Puok district of Banteay Meanchey province, said that on 25th October, she and her 8 year-old daughter went to catch crabs and snails at a creek near Thai Border Post 17 located near Border Pillar 38 in Taphraya district of Sakeo province. She said at 11:30 am, two Thai policemen suddenly appeared and called both of them to go up the ground and without warning started kicking her repeatedly, breaking her left wrist. "I went to catch snails and two of them (Thai policemen) called us to come out of the creek, without asking us any questions, they started kicking on my hands, my back and the last kick caused my arm to break. They shouted for me to run and they fired a single shot at me also", she said.

She added that her 8 year-old daughter was unhurt because she had run away because she was traumatised by the violence perpetrated against her by the two Thai policemen.

This incident happened after another Cambodian man was beaten into unconsciousness by a group of Thai men at Aranyaprathet town on 21st October, 2009.

Mr. Porn Savorn, Cambodian deputy military commander of Thmor Puok district, said that he met with Mr. Chaksokhorn Khanchayabhumi, commander of Thai battalion 17, but the commander denied that his men had beaten the Cambodian lady in question. "Why did they beat her, why did they kick her until her wrist was broken because she was just catching snails?", Mr. Savorn said.

Mr. Chhean Dara, chief of Kork Romiet Police Station, said local Cambodian authority are preparing a letter of complaint to send to the Thai authority regarding Mrs. Hourn Han's case.

Mr. Mao Pov, chief of Samakki village, said Thai soldiers and police had often used excessive forces in the past against Khmer unarmed civilians. "In the past they (Thais) had shot and killed (Khmers) and they accused them of dealing with amphetamines/drugs", he said.

By Khmerization

The Thai yellow-shirted protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) have threatened to stage another protest in front of the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok to express their anger with Mr. Hun Sen's offer of political aylum to fugitive ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, reports Deum Ampil.

On Tuesday 28th, about 100 People's Assembly of Thailand (PAT) supporters, led by ultra-nationalist Chaiwat Sinsuwong, held a rowdy protest in front of the embassy with the burning of the placards, but there was no violence due to heavy police presence.

There are reports that another PAD group, to be led by another ultra-nationalist leader Veera Somkwamkid, planned to stage another protest on 2nd of November.

Thursday, 29 October 2009
By James O’toole and Joel Quenby
Phnom Penh Post

DEPOSED Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has told supporters he plans to travel to Cambodia, a Thai opposition source and media reports said Wednesday.

Speaking to members of the Puea Thai party – known as the Red Shirts – by video conference Tuesday, Thaksin announced plans to travel to Cambodia following an invitation from Prime Minister Hun Sen to serve as his economic adviser, said a woman identified as a Puea Thai member but who refused to give her name.

“Thaksin said he would fly to Cambodia soon to thank Hun Sen,” the Bangkok Post quoted another anonymous Puea Thai official as saying.

Bangkok says it would seek extradition if Thaksin – ousted in a 2006 coup and self-exiled to avoid jail on corruption charges – sought refuge in Cambodia.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the government has had no official communication with Thaksin recently, but that a visit to Cambodia was plausible. “I think it could be true, because so far, Prime Minister Hun Sen has given the green light to [Thaksin],” Koy Kuong said.
The source said, however, that Puea Thai was unsure such a visit would be prudent.

“We don’t agree with the idea of Thaksin going to Cambodia.… He’s caused so much trouble for the country recently that he needs to fix before he goes to Cambodia,” she said.

29 October 2009
Thai-ASEAN News Network

Pheu Thai Party MPs insist that their key leader's trip to Cambodia was in the best interest of the country. Trips to four more countries are planned.

The Pheu Thai Party MPs, led by Yasothon MP Peerapan Palusuk, have held a press conference to comment on the trip of the party's key leader, General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to Cambodia last week.

The MPs said that General Chavalit did not “invite the enemy” as the Democrat Party has accused.

They said that the trip was in the best interest of the country, to develop cross-border trades and investments and to promote the relationship between the two countries.

They also claimed that General Chavalit has been able to accomplish something that the current administration has not been able to do.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been urged to look at Chaowalit in a more positive light.

The key member of the Pheu Thai Party is also planning trips to Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam and Laos.

In this regard, the government has ordered Thai embassies to closely monitor General Chavalit's movements.

Peerapan believes that plans for General Chavalit's trips will not be affected by this.

A Pheu Thai Party Nakhon Phanom MP, Paijit Srivorakhan, insists that General Chavalit is a valuable resource to the party and the country.

Paijit also asked the Democrat Party not to overreact, and let the people distinguish what is good and what is not by themselves.

Meanwhile, another Pheu Thai Party MP, Chawalit Wichaisut, said that the revocation of the Thaksin's police rank and decorations will only fuel the flames of political conflict.

Bangkok Post

Friends and supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's iconic democracy crusader, may have felt insulted by Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen when he tried to compare her with his so-called "eternal friend", exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"Many people are talking about Mrs Suu Kyi of Burma. Why can't I talk about the victim, Thaksin?" said Hun Sen during his face-off with the media on Friday when he arrived in Hua Hin for the Asean summit.

The Cambodian prime minister's attempt to liken Thaksin to Mrs Suu Kyi as both were victims of separate military coups in Thailand and Burma was simplistic and ignorant of the huge difference in characteristics and dedication to democracy between the two people, not to mention the political backgrounds leading to their overthrow.

"Without the coup d'etat in 2006, such a thing would not have happened," said Hun Sen.

But what would have happened without the coup then? No one then seemed to have the right answer although they agreed that the political stalemate would drag on until either side in the conflict - the Thaksin government on one side and the People's Alliance for Democracy on the other - lost their patience. Then what, bloodshed? But would Hun Sen care?

I don't think he would as the only thing he cares about is that he lost a powerful friend in Thailand who seemed to have done him and his family a lot of favours to the point that his wife had tears in her eyes when she learned about Thaksin's fate.

Hun Sen insisted his remarks about Thaksin did not constitute interference in Thailand's domestic affairs. He was quoted to have said: "This is just moral support from me. As one million Thai people of the red shirt group support Thaksin, why can't I, as a friend from afar, support Thaksin?"

But I beg to differ. His first remark, which was first conveyed to theThai people by former prime minister and Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and then repeated upon his arrival here for the Asean summit, amounted to direct interference in Thailand's internal affairs. They also demonstrated his complete lack of any diplomatic decency and statesmanship.

Hun Sen's remarks should have pleased the Puea Thai Party and the red shirt people. In the meantime, they have incensed the yellow shirt people as well as many non-partisan Thais who despise a foreigner like a Cambodian interfering in our worst politically divisive issue.

It has been widely known that Hun Sen and Thaksin have had a close relationship through their business dealings and it was believed that the fugitive ex-premier had, on various occasions, slipped into Cambodia. But then why did the Cambodian premier choose to make public his sympathy and support for Thaksin now - at first through Gen Chavalit and then by himself at the Asean summit - despite the fact that the coup which toppled the Thaksin regime took place more than three years ago?

Was it intended to embarrass Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva? The answer was already loud and clear as Mr Abhisit appeared to be disturbed by Hun Sen's remarks and hit back at the latter. "What is the purpose of Prime Minster Hun Sen coming to Thailand?" said Mr Abhisit during a press conference on Friday. Was he coached by Gen Chavalit whose one-day visit to Phnom Penh, which came two days ahead of the Asean summit, seemed quite untimely if not suspicious?

As a shrewd politician who has survived in Cambodian politics for decades while many of his arch-rivals have all lost out or faded into oblivion, I don't think Hun Sen needs coaching. After having deliberately made unprovoked inflammatory remarks against Thailand on various occasions, including his order for Cambodian troops at the border to shoot any Thais who trespass on the disputed territories or his recent announcement to Cambodian students that he would tear up the Thai map pertaining to the Thai-Cambodian border if it does not correspond with the one held by Phnom Penh, Hun Sen, this time, may think that he wants to have a hand in Thai politics. And he has chosen to take Thaksin's side probably believing that the fugitive ex-premier will definitely be able to stage a political comeback in the not too distant future.

Even Thaksin himself is not certain whether or when he will be able to return in triumph.

Since Hun Sen has laid out his hand, it remains to be seen whether Thaksin and his Puea Thai Party will join hands with Cambodia to fulfil the fugitive ex-premier's wish for a political comeback.

* Veera Prateepchaikul is a former editor, Post Publishing Co Ltd.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
By MARWAAN MACAN-MARKAR
IPS WRITER

BANGKOK — The relationship between Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Cambodia enters another uneasy stretch following a round of verbal salvoes fired before and during a just concluded regional summit, where much is made of strides in achieving unity.

The Thai media had also stepped into the fray to take on the comments made by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen that appeared to get under the skin of the Thai government, host of the 15th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which ran from Oct. 23-25.

On Tuesday, one Thai commentator described Hun Sen as a "big bully" for the remarks he made just before flying into Cha-am, the resort town south of Bangkok where the Asean summit was held, and soon after he landed.

"Hun Sen Shows Lack of Class and Tact," declared the headline of an editorial in a Sunday newspaper. It seethed with anger about the Cambodian leader's "provocative remarks."

Hun Sen, the region's longest-serving premier, upset the Thais by publicly throwing his weight behind Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai premier who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and now living in exile to avoid arrest after being found guilty of violating conflict of interest laws.

Cambodia will offer Thaksin a home, Hun Sen said, before arriving in Cha-am, and then added that Phnom Penh would not extradite the fugitive ex-Thai leader if Bangkok made a request. The increasingly authoritarian Cambodian leader also revealed a role he had for the like-minded Thaksin in the future Cambodia—as an economic advisor.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva shot back. "Don't allow anybody to use you as a pawn," he said at a press conference toward the end of the summit, where the outcome of the 10-member regional bloc was to have been the focus.

"If former prime minister Thaksin moves to Cambodia, it will have an effect on our relationship," said Kasit Piromya, Thai foreign minister, in another press conference.

Both Abhisit and Kasit belong to a coalition government that was formed last year with the backing of Thailand's powerful military. It followed a controversial court verdict that resulted in the collapse of a coalition government of Thaksin's allies, who were elected at a December 2007 poll, the first since the 2006 putsch.

Thaksin has been making desperate bids to return to Thailand or to live in a country closer to home than in the Middle East, where he often resides. But he has made little headway with the members of the 42-year-old Asean due to the principle of non-interference in the domestic affairs of a member country that binds this 10-member bloc.

Asean, which has just become a new rules-based unified entity, includes Brunei, Burma (or Myanmar), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, in addition to Thailand and Cambodia.

The war of words that overshadowed the Asean summit added a new twist to an already testy relationship between the two countries that share an 800-kilometre border, much of it being disputed and not clearly marked because Thais and Cambodia use different maps.

The most visible symbol of the underlying tension between the two Southeast Asian kingdoms is a 10th century Hindu temple, Preah Vihear, that sits atop a steep cliff on the Thai-Cambodian border.

The temple was claimed by the French colonists who ruled Cambodia using a disputed 1907 map. After the French left, the Thai troops took over the temple but handed it back to Phnom Penh following a 1962 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague. Since then troops from both countries have faced each other along the heavily mined border.

Since July last year, Preah Vihear has become a flashpoint, stoked by deep-seated nationalism on both sides. It followed a ruling by the World Heritage Committee that month that recognized the temple as a world heritage site and concurred with the ICJ's ruling that the temple belonged to Cambodia.

Thai nationalists were enraged, prompting both Cambodian and Thailand to reinforce their military strength in the still contested land—some 4.6 square kilometers—surrounding the temple.

In April, the soldiers from both countries exchanged gunfire, leaving three people dead.

Over a month before the recent summit, Hun Sen had ordered Cambodian troops to fire if any Thais crossed the border illegally. Around the same time, in September, members of a right-wing conservative Thai political movement marched to the disputed site to flex their patriotic stripes.

Thailand was put on notice by Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong that Phnom Penh wanted the border dispute placed on the agenda of the 15th Asean summit. But Bangkok rejected the call, insisting that the dispute be addressed through bilateral negotiations than have this issue "internationalized or raised within the Asean framework."

This verbal tit-for-tat even drew Cambodia's envoy in Thailand to comment in the Bangkok Post newspaper on the eve of the summit. "No peace-loving nation on earth like Cambodia wants to make political gains by provoking armed conflict with its neighbors," wrote ambassador You Ay. "The recent tension between the two countries began with the yellow-shirt protesters from Thailand who wanted to enter our Preah Vihear temple."

The simmering tensions between the two Southeastern nations has not gone down well with the rest of Asean, given the bloc's habit of saying it does not need a regional dispute-settling mechanism because the region's leaders are committed to regional peace through local solutions.

Cambodia broke with this tradition last year when the Preah Vihear issue flared up. It reported the dispute to the United Nations Security Council without getting a nod from its Asean allies, prompting Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to warn of the regional bloc's credibility being at stake.

Thai officials are hoping that a quieter approach will help calm tensions between the two countries. "We want people along the border to live peacefully," said Kasit, the Thai foreign minister. "There is a need for civility to forge a relationship and build a relationship as much as possible."
AddThis

Bangkok Post

CHA-AM : A war of words between the Thai and Cambodian leaders has erupted as Southeast Asian leaders begin talks at the Asean summit aimed at fostering ties among 10 members.

The conflict centred on deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday offered his country as a temporary home for him.

Hun Sen reaffirmed his position yesterday and went even further by saying Thaksin could become Phnom Penh's economic adviser.

Hun Sen also indirectly compared Thaksin to Burmese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and said he considered Thaksin to be a victim of the 2006 military coup.

"What is the purpose of Prime Minister Hun Sen coming to Thailand?" said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in a press conference held after his Cambodian counterpart spoke to reporters. "And what has he said that was in line with the aim of the meeting?"

The prime minister said Asean emphasised building a stronger community with unity.

"(Asean) has no time to pay attention to a person who wants to destroy Asean unity. And I hope Prime Minister Hun Sen will receive the right information and change his mind on the matter."

Mr Abhisit countered his Cambodian counterpart's remarks made shortly after arriving in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi to attend the summit.

"Many people are talking about Mrs Suu Kyi of Burma. Why can't I talk about the victim, Thaksin?" said Hun Sen. "That cannot be regarded as interference by Cambodia into Thai internal affairs," he said.

"Without the coup d'etat in 2006, such a thing would not have happened," he added.

The Cambodian leader made clear his government will not send Thaksin back to serve his jail term in Thailand if he stays on Cambodian soil.

Article 3 of the extradition treaty between Thailand and Cambodia says that the country asked to extradite someone has the legal grounds to absolutely reject any extradition if it considers the request involves a political offence, he said.

Prior to his arrival in Thailand, the Cambodian government issued a statement outlining the decision by Hun Sen over his offer to Thaksin.

"Allowing Mr Thaksin to stay in Cambodia is reflecting the virtuous behaviour of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is Thaksin's long time friend.

"This virtuous attitude is not interpreted as interference in Thailand's internal affairs," said the statement obtained by the Bangkok Post.

Hun Sen said he was not interfering in Thailand's problems.

"This is just moral support from me. As one million Thai people of the red shirt group support Thaksin, why can't I, as a friend from afar, support Thaksin?" said the Cambodian leader.

Problems in Thailand should be solved by Thais, he added.

Mr Abhisit, however, argued that Hun Sen might have got the wrong information about Thaksin who could not be compared with Mrs Suu Kyi.

"There are few people in the world who believe (the case of) Thaksin is similar to that of Mrs Suu Kyi," Mr Abhisit said. "I don't know where he got the information."

The case of Mrs Suu Kyi was a resolution where Asean had a common stance and it could not be compared with Thaksin's, he said, apparently referring to the Asean statement calling for the release of the Burmese opposition leader.

Mr Abhisit said the Cambodian government should not say in advance that it would not extradite Thaksin if he takes refuge in Cambodia.

"It is a process from both sides to prove if the case is a matter of politics or corruption," said Mr Abhisit.

Hun Sen should "think carefully" and focus on bilateral relations and benefits to the two countries, Mr Abhisit said, adding: "I hope I will have a chance to make him understand."

Bangkok Post

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia will reject the demand of extradition of former Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, if Thai government put forward such demand when Thaksin seeks shelter in Cambodia, Cambodian government spokesman said in a statement released on Friday.

"Cambodian government will reject the demand of Thai government to extradite Thaksin for political reasons, if Thaksin Shinawatra agrees to live in Cambodia," the statement said.

It is Cambodia's response to Thailand after Thai government said that Thailand plans to use its extradition agreement between the two countries if Thaksin accepts Hun Sen's invitation to travel to Cambodia and live there.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday said that he welcomed former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin to visit Cambodia and he could provide a residence for him. Hun Sen made the remarks during his meeting with visiting former Thai premier Chavalit Yongchaiyudh who paid a one-day visit here on Wednesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

According to Cambodia's state-run television TVK, Hun Sen also called Thaksin Shinawatra his "eternal friend."

Thu, 22 Oct 2009
DPA

Bangkok - Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra risks being extradited back to Thailand if he takes up an offer of a home in Cambodia, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban warned Thursday. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, often at loggerheads with the Thai government, on Wednesday offered shelter to Thaksin, who is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a two-year jail term at home for abuse of power.

The surprise invitation came two days before the start in Thailand of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Thailand, to which both Thailand and Cambodia belong.

About 18,000 soldiers and police have been deployed to protect the 16 leaders attending from protestors loyal to the populist Thaksin. A summit in April had to be cancelled when pro-Thaksin demonstrators broke into the venue.

Thaksin, overthrown in a bloodless military coup in September 2006, is loathed by much of the Thai elite and middle class, but his populist economic policies have given him a big following among the poor. His critics have accused him of seeking to become an authoritarian leader, a label often also applied to Hun Sen.

Hun Sen praised Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, as a "great friend" and a victim of unfair politics who deserved a respectable home.

Hun Sen made the remarks at a meeting with veteran Thai politician and former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, a senior member of Thaksin's Puea Thai Party.

Suthep said the meeting was "purely aimed at creating a good image for the deposed premier," the Bangkok Post reported Thursday.

Diplomats gearing up to attend the three-day ASEAN summit noted how the timing of the offer served to remind everyone that Thaksin still considers himself a major political figure three years after his ouster.

The secretary general of the Thai Foreign Ministry, Chawanont Indarakomalsut, played down fears that the former prime minister might find lodgings in a neighbouring country. He told the Post that it was hard to imagine Hun Sen damaging relations with Thailand, even if Thaksin was a friend.

Thu, October 22, 2009
The Nation

Runaway ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra thanked Cambodia's PM Hun Sen in his twitter for welcoming him to the country and having an idea to build a home for him.

"I have to express deepest thanks to Prime Minister Hun Sen for saying in public that I am his friend. I also would like to thank him for arranging me a house," Thaksin said in his tweeter; Thaksinlive.

Hun Sen on Thursday told reporters after meeting with visiting Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh who visited Phom Penh on Thursday.

"I consider Thaksin as my eternal friend. Cambodia will welcome him to stay here for anytime. I make the house available for him at any time if he decides to visit Cambodia."

"I also talked with Chavalit about the cooperation between Puea Thai Party and Cambodian People's Party".

"Though I'm not Thai, I'm hurt by what has happened to him. My wife even cried on knowing about it and has an idea to build a home for Thaksin to come and stay honourably," Hun Sen said.

"We have been great friends since Thaksin was businessman and the relationship has remained the same since he entered politics," Hun Sen said.

Thu, October 22, 2009
The Nation

Fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra will face extradition if he enters Cambodia, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban said on Thursday.

Suthep said Cambodia and Thailand has an extradition agreement which will be enforced to apprehend Thaksin in order to bring him back to serve his two-year jail term.

He was reacting to reports that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has offered to build a house to welcome Thaksin who he sees as a old friend.

Pheu Thai adviser Chavalit Yongchaiyudh broke the news about Hun Sen's offer following his visit to Phnom Phen on Wednesday.

"I am not surprised about friendship between Hun Sen and Thaksin but Thailand will make the extradition request if Thaksin is provided with a permanent shelter in Cambodia," Suthep said.

22/10/2009
Bangkok Post

If fugitive politician Thaksin Shinawatra decides to take up residence in Cambodia the government will seek his extradition back to Thailand, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Thursday.

Mr Suthep was not surprised by the remark by Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, a key member of the opposition Puea Thai Party, that Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen had offered Thaksin a home, as they were close friends.

“But this was proof that Gen Chavalit visited Cambodia in the interests of Thaksin. The meeting between Gen Chavalit and Hun Sen on Wednesday was purely aimed at creating a good image for the deposed premier,” he said.

Chawanont Intarakomalsuth, secretary-general to the minister of foreign affairs, said he did not believe Hun Sen would build a home for Thaksin as Gen Chavalit had said.

He was confident that Hun Sen would give more importance to Thailand as a country than to any particular person, even if he was a close friend of Thaksin.

Thaksin's younger sister Yaowares Shinawatra insisted that her brother has no residence in Cambodia and she had no idea whether Hun Sen had built a home for Thaksin as reported.

BANGKOK, Oct 22 (AFP) - Thailand rebuked neighbouring Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen Thursday for his offer to let fugitive former Thai prime Thaksin Shinawatra stay "anytime."

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, in charge of national security, told reporters that Hun Sen should not be meddling in Thailand's affairs after he reportedly said that Thaksin had not received justice at home.

Thaksin continues to live in exile after fleeing in August last year to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption.

"We have an extradition treaty with Cambodia, so if Thaksin goes there we will officially notify the Cambodian government and seek his extradition," said Suthep.

"This is Thailand's own internal affair and we can solve this issue by ourselves. No foreigner can solve an internal matter. Thai people can think for themselves," he said.

Cambodia's state-run TVK said Wednesday that Hun Sen made the invitation during a private meeting Wednesday with Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, a key member of Thailand's main opposition party Puea Thai.

Thaksin, on his online Twitter feed, thanked Hun Sen for his controversial invitation but stopped short of accepting it.

"I thank Prime Minister Hun Sen for telling the public that I am still his friend and that he would welcome me at any time and arrange a house for me in Phnom Penh," Thaksin wrote.

He said that he was currently staying in Dubai.

Relations between Cambodia and Thailand have been difficult for months amid an ongoing border conflict.

The two governments have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear for decades. Nationalist tensions spilled over into violence in July last year, when the temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

Thaksin was ousted by a 2006 coup and continues to face allegations of corruption relating to his two-term rule.

The Thai government has repeatedly attempted to arrest Thaksin abroad, but the former premier travels on various passports.

A Cambodian military commander based at Preah Vihear said the Thai military had sent fresh troops to border areas at An Sess in Choam Ksan district, 50 kilometres west of Preah Vihear temple, reports everyday.com.

The Kampuchea Thmey newspaper quoted an unnamed Cambodian commander based at An Sess as saying on 20th October, the Cambodian troops had enquired with the Thai troops who told them that the new troops will not be deployed in the areas permanently, but they came to monitor and inspect the old troops based in the areas.

Cambodian commanders said the border situations remained calm, despite Thailand had sent new troop reinforcements to the areas.


By Khmerization

The Nation

One day in Phnom Penh and a bombshell was dropped on the already sour relationship between Thailand and Cambodia.

Following a meeting with Chavalit, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen told reporters how his wife cried at the mention of Thaksin Shinawatra's fate and how a plan to give Thaksin a home "that deserves his honour" was discussed.

"We have been great friends since Thaksin was businessman and the relationship has remained the same since he entered politics," Hun Sen said.

"Though I'm not Thai, I'm hurt by what has happened to him. My wife even cried on knowing about it and has an idea to build a home for Thaksin to come and stay honourably."

It was the closest thing to saying Cambodia would be willing to give Thaksin a political exile, an issue which will present both countries with an awkward situation, in addition to the Phra Vihear conflict, going into the Asean summit.

Chavalit, on his return to Thailand from the one-day visit to Cambodia, confirmed what Hun Sen said. And true to his characteristics, he created more speculation by suggesting he was ready to meet Thaksin's arch-rival Sondhi Limthongkul.

Sondhi's People's Alliance for Demcoracy reacted guardedly to that, saying that no matter what Chavalit had in mind, the PAD's fundamental stand remains unchanged _ Thaksin has to serve his jail term first, and the rest can be discussed later.

There have been whispers, though, that Chavalit had met another PAD key man, Chamlong Srimuang, before deciding to seek a "summit" with Sondhi. A Chavalit-Sondhi meeting, PAD insiders believe, is "possible". They said things could become clearer after key PAD members meet this coming Tuesday.

On Hun Sen and Thaksin, Chavalit said the latter would be given a house in case he wanted to have a long stay in Cambodia.

Chavalit met Hun Sen during his one-day visit to Phnom Penh yesterday as a representative of Thaksin-backed Peu Thai Party.

As a long time friend, Prime Minister Hun Sen paid a lot of attention to fate of Thaksin, Chavait said.

Hun Sen has known Thaksin for long time since the latter was a normal businessman who invested in Cambodia.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family are neither Thai nor relative of Thaksin but feel sympathy to him and want to declare that they are friend forever," Chavalit said.

"They have prepared a beautiful house for Thaksin and give him an honor as a friend," he said.

Asked if the Thai government was concerned over his visit to Phnom Penh, Chavalit said no government official called him to express such concern since he just went there to visit his friends and did not represent the government.

However Chavalit also discussed border conflict at the area near Preah Vihear temple with Hun Sen and praised Cambodia's stance to solve the problem with peaceful way.

The border conflict could be solved via bilateral mechanism of joint boundary commission, he said.

"We don't expect the issue could be solved within a few days, it could be 20 years but we should handle it with understanding and friendship," he said.

On the sea boundary, Chavalit said Cambodia has not yet granted concession to exploit oil and gas in the sea overlapping area to any foreign companies but is waiting for the Thai government to negotiate on the issue.

Bangkok Post
Published: 22/10/2009 at 12:00 AM

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been offered a home in Cambodia by Prime Minister Hun Sen, Puea Thai Party chairman Chavalit Yongchaiyudh says.

Gen Chavalit yesterday paid a one-day visit to Phnom Penh and said Hun Sen was willing and prepared to host Thaksin if he wished to visit Cambodia.

He said arrangements had been made to welcome the ousted prime minister who has fled a two-year jail term for malfeasance in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase.

Gen Chavalit said Hun Sen was full of praise for Thaksin and expressed sympathy for the "political injustice" he suffered in Thailand.

"He [Hun Sen] feels Thaksin is not fairly treated, politically," Gen Chavalit said. "Despite having contributed to the country, he has no place to stay. Hun Sen is in pain even though he is not a Thai.

"So he feels the need to make it publicly known he and Thaksin have always been friends."

Gen Chavalit quoted Hun Sen as saying "Thaksin is welcomed in Cambodia".

AFP also reported that state-run TVK said the Cambodian prime minister made the invitation during a private meeting with Gen Chavalit. If "former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra wishes to travel to Cambodia anytime ... ", the television channel reported.

Thaksin spends most of his time in Dubai since fleeing the country.

Gen Chavalit's one-day visit to Phnom Penh was at the invitation of the Cambodian prime minister. He was greeted by Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh.

The Cambodian prime minister also sought to bolster relations between his ruling Cambodian People's Party and Puea Thai, an official in the Chavalit delegate said.

Gen Tea Banh was assigned as a coordinator for the Cambodian People's Party while Gen Wichit Yathip was named a coordinator for the Thai side, the official said.

Hun Sen's invitation came days after Gen Chavalit joined the opposition party - a reincarnation of the two dissolved People Power and Thai Rak Thai parties.

Gen Chavalit's joining of Puea Thai was followed by a parade of some 50 former classmates of Thaksin from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School to the party.

Hun Sen's remarks are likely to frustrate the Thai government which has tried to establish Thaksin's whereabouts to facilitate its attempt to extradite him and make him serve his two-year jail term.

The remarks are also considered untimely ahead of the Asean summit which starts tomorrow.

Gen Chavalit played down speculation that Hun Sen's comments could cause a further deterioration in relations between the two countries. Border tensions have simmered in past months over the Preah Vihear temple issue. Both countries lay claim to the overlapping areas of 4.6 square kilometres near the temple ruins.

"The country's disputes will have to be dealt with. The relationship between Hun Sen and Thaksin is another matter," Gen Chavalit said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said before Gen Chavalit's departure to Phnom Penh the meeting between the Puea Thai chairman and Hun Sen was "normal".

"Such a meeting is normal," he said. "I have once visited the Cambodian government [as part of] an opposition party," the prime minister said.

Mr Abhisit said he did not think the government's authority would be overshadowed by the opposition because it was clearly known who was the government and who was on the opposition bench.

Gen Chavalit said the government should not be concerned about his trip. It was a private visit, not a state affair, he said.

Oct 21, 2009
DPA

Phnom Penh - A Cambodian official accused Thai troops of fatally shooting a Cambodian national who tried to cross the border illegally, local media reported Wednesday.

The incident marked the second time in two months that Thai troops have been accused of killing Cambodians along the border in north-western Cambodia.

The Phnom Penh Post newspaper cited the governor of the provincial capital of Oddar Meanchey province as saying the victim, Sim Bun Chhim, 25, was crossing the border with two other men Monday night when Thai soldiers opened fire. The other men escaped, but Sim Bun Chhim was seriously injured and died on his way to hospital.

Thon Nol, the governor of Samrong, condemned the act.

'They crossed the border illegally, but [Thai troops] shot them like animals,' Thon Nol told the newspaper. 'They should have arrested them and sent them back to the Cambodian authorities.'

The Foreign Affairs Ministry was awaiting an report from local authorities before deciding on any course of action, spokesman Koy Kuong said Wednesday.

Last month, a Cambodian teenager was reportedly tied to an ox cart and burned alive by Thai troops after being caught logging illegally in Thailand.

The Thai government had said 16-year-old Yon Rith was already dead from gunshot wounds when troops burned his body.

The ministry spokesman said Phnom Penh had received a note from the Thai government refuting the allegation. Cambodian officials were still investigating the teenager's death.

'The note says that the Thai side agrees to cooperate with Cambodia to bring the offenders to justice but asked Cambodia to provide more evidence,' Koy Koung said. 'I don't know how long that [investigation] will take.'

Cambodia and Thailand have had a tense and long-running dispute over their 804-kilometre-long border. Violence has flared on occasion between troops on both sides, most recently in the area around the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple on Cambodia's northern border.

Phnom Penh – Hor Nam Hong, vice-PM and minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that he just received the declaration issued by Surin Pitsuwan, the ASEAN Secretary-general, from a Thai news agency. Surin Pitsuwan’s declaration stated that “if any country member feels that the Thai-Cambodian border dispute affects ASEAN's image, the foreign ministers from other eight country members (except from Thailand and Cambodia) can raise the issue for discussion at the regional pact meeting.”

Surin Pitsuwan stated also that “if anyone of either party raises this topic at the meeting, it will be a good opportunity to help find appropriate solutions to the conflict”

Hor Nam Hong said that: “We can see that information from Thailand is all mixed up. First, Thailand’s PM Abhisit said successively to PM Hun Sen that the resolution will be bilateral and this issue will not be raised at the international level. Mr. Kasit Piromya made a declaration in the past that he wanted to set up an ASEAN arbitration to resolve this problem. I send a letter asking to raise this issue at the ASEAN meeting in Hua Hin, they replied back to me that they did not say that, the newspaper quote was wrong. Now Mr. Surin Pitsuwan, the [ASEAN] Secretary-general made the statement above, therefore, Thailand is all mixed up with this problem. The ASEAN leaders meeting is not public, only state and government leaders will be present, nobody else will be there (there will be 10 people only).”

Hor Nam Hong indicated: “I am not certain about the meeting, but in my personal opinion … I’d say that Samdach Dek Cho Hun Sen could raise the problem of the Cambodian-Thai border dispute around Preah Vihear temple during this [ASEAN] private meeting.”

Hor Nam Hong added that: “However, this time, Samdach Dek Cho may not raise this problem to find a resolution. This time, it is for Thailand not to raise this problem at the international level when it agreed with Cambodia to resolve it bilaterally.”

He added that: “In the past, in Spain, a Thai minister in charge of environment raised this issue in Spain, saying that the listing of Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site could affect the border security. They [Thailand] raised this issue at an international forum once already while it agreed again and again to resolve the issue bilaterally. In the past, when Mr. Abhisit went to the UN recently, he met with the UN Secretary-general, he also raised the Preah Vihear issue with the UN Secretary-general again.”

Hor Nam Hong criticized that it was not Cambodia that raised this issue at the international level. “We (Cambodia) respect our words not to raise this issue, we resolve this problem bilaterally, but it is Thailand that did not respect [this agreement],” Hor Nam Hong said.

The Cambodian minister of Foreign Affairs and his Thai counterpart met each other up to 3 times, and they agreed with each other on a number of points that lead to the installation of border posts starting since 2008. The border commission led by Var Kim Hong held 3 discussion sessions [with Thailand] between 2008 and April 2009, and [both sides] agreed to speed up the installation of border markers because the border issue is extremely sensitive. After the agreements, Thailand went silent, Thailand claimed that [Thai law] Article 190 requires parliament ratification, but its parliament did not ratify and the Thai government did not push its parliament to ratify it at all.”

“Therefore, the past negotiations were a waste of time and money, they were useless meetings. Discussions were only made on paper, but they were useless. Therefore, talking about bilateral discussions, agreements, then there is no outcome, what shall we do…? How much longer should we hold bilateral discussions…? We agreed with each other, but they did not ratify it, what else can we do to resolve this problem?” Hor Nam Hong said.

With reference to Cambodian Ambassador You Ay's letter ("From Cambodia with clarity," Post bag, Oct 13), the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to state for the record a couple of pertinent points as follows:



1. The issue of the temple of Phra Viharn Preah Vihear is a complicated one with a history going back a long time. The situation, however, worsened following its inscription on the World Heritage List in 2008, despite unresolved negotiations on the encroachment of the land boundary in the area adjacent to the temple.



Thailand did not initiate the problem, nor did it try to exploit extreme nationalist sentiment in order to make political gains.



2. As for the allegation that Thai troops caused the destruction of the Cambodian market and the Cambodian side demanded compensation for the affected people, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already officially informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia by a diplomatic note dated Aug 10, 2009, clarifying that the said incidents were triggered by Cambodian soldiers' assault on Thai troops, forcing the latter to take defensive action and leading to the exchange of fire between the soldiers of both sides. The Ministry wishes to reiterate that the whole incident took place at the market and Cambodian community in the area adjacent to the temple of Phra Viharn Preah Vihear, which are situated within the territory of Thailand.



I hope this letter will help promote a better understanding of this delicate issue.



THANI THONGPHAKDI



Deputy Director-General, Department of Information,



Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Thursday, October 15, 2009
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

An informed RCAF source based in Preah Vihear temple told The Kampuchea Thmei newspaper that in the afternoon of 14 October, 2 Thai tanks quietly moved to position at the foothill of Phnom Trop. The source indicated that these 2 tanks are equipped with modern weapons as if they are prepared to take some kind of action. On the other hand, fresh Thai troops are also deployed behind these tanks, they are composed of black-clad troops and paratroopers. General Chea Dara, the RCAF commander, told The Kampuchea Thmei that Cambodian troops are also prepared to shoot them down if they move into Cambodian territories. Chea Dara said that if these tanks remain inside Thailand and they do not move around unusually, there will be no problem, but if they trespass into Cambodia, Cambodia has the automatic rights to protect itself. There is no indication as to why these new tanks were sent in here. The Cambodian commander in Phnom Trop said that the 2 Thai tanks were sent in at 1:30PM on 14 October. Furthermore, Thai troops tried to camouflage them with tree leaves, they are stationed about 80-meter from the Cambodian army line.

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
14 October 2009

Cambodia’s foreign minister said Wednesday he would continue push to put Cambodia’s border dispute with Thailand on the Asean agenda, following reports in Thai media that Bangkok officials were misquoted in their desire to abandon bilateral solutions.

Both sides have attempted to resolve the dispute among themselves since July 2008, when troops amassed on the border amid heightening tensions. Little has come of a series of talks between military officials, diplomats and state leaders.

A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman said this week his minister had been quoted out of context as saying Thailand would seek a “neutral” body to facilitate resolution, a statement that led Cambodia to push for the border dispute to be included on a summit agenda when Asean leaders meet later this month.

However, Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong told reporters Wednesday Cambodia was awaiting an official response from the Thais, not media reports, or Prime Minister Hun Sen would raise the border issue at the Oct. 23-25 Asean summit.

“The border issue is an important problem, and we cannot solve this issue following spokesmen or the press,” Hor Namhong said. “Cambodia has until now not received an official response from the Thai side. If the Thais don’t respond [officially], we will raise up this issue at the Asean summit.”

Panitan Watanayagorn, deputy secretary-general for the Thai prime minister, said from Bangkok the government would be sending an official response soon, and he encouraged more bilateral attempts solve the border issue.

Tuesday, 13 October 2009
By Rann Reuy
Phnom Penh Post

ABOUT 60 Thai trucks blocked the road connecting Thailand with Cambodia in Banteay Meanchey province Sunday, preventing Cambodian farmers from exporting cassava roots, officials and local villagers said.

Nou Yorth, chief of the monitoring office at the Boeung Trakoun border checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province, said Sunday that Thai farmers blocked the road to prevent vans carrying the wet cassava root over the border.

He said it followed a week-long blockade in September, which forced Cambodian farmers to suspend exports, after which the road was reopened.

“There seem to be spies to watch the road,” he said. “When we send two or three trucks, they come together to block [it].”

BANGKOK — Thailand said Tuesday that its border dispute with Cambodia should be dealt with through bilateral negotiations, rather than being "internationalised" at an upcoming regional summit.

Cambodia on Monday proposed neighbouring Thailand put the dispute -- which has sparked deadly skirmishes between troops -- on the agenda when it hosts this month's summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

However, a spokesman for the Thai foreign affairs ministry said Cambodia's proposal was based on an inaccurate report in the Thai press.

Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya was reported to have said last week he would seek approval at the ASEAN meeting to establish a neutral body that would help settle the Thai-Cambodia dispute.

But this "stems from a misquote and something that was taken out of context" from a talk he gave earlier this month on the Thai-Cambodia issue, Thani Thongphakdi of the ministry said.

"Thailand will continue to seek a peaceful resolution of the problem through bilateral negotiations" under the framework of the Thai-Cambodian joint boundary commission, he told AFP.

"As such, we believe this issue should not be internationalised nor raised within the ASEAN framework."

The dispute focuses on an area of land around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, where clashes have killed seven soldiers since nationalist tensions between the neighbours flared last year.

Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear for decades, but tensions spilled over into violence in July last year when the temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia.

Soldiers from Cambodia and Thailand continue to patrol the area, with the last gun battle near the temple area in April leaving three people dead.

The border between the two countries has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

PHNOM PENH, Oct 14 (AFP) - Cambodia's foreign minister said Wednesday that premier Hun Sen will raise the Thai border spat at an upcoming regional summit despite opposition from Thailand, which is hosting the meeting.

"The prime minister will raise the issue in the (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) ASEAN summit," Hor Namhong told reporters.

He said the dispute -- which has sparked several deadly troop skirmishes -- remained up for discussion at ASEAN since Thailand had not officially responded to his proposal to include it in the October 23-25 summit.

"Because there is no answer from Thailand to my official proposal, Cambodia still considers that Prime Minister Hun Sen can raise the dispute in the ASEAN summit," Hor Namhong said at a press conference.

The spat focuses on an area of land around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, where clashes have killed seven soldiers since last year.

Hor Namhong added that Cambodia was willing to raise the issue in other international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, and accused Thailand of delaying a resolution to the dispute.

A spokesman for the Thai foreign affairs ministry told AFP Tuesday that his country would continue to seek a peaceful solution with Cambodia but believed the dispute should not be raised at ASEAN or "internationalised".

Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear for decades, but nationalist tensions spilled over into violence in July last year when the temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia.

Soldiers from both countries continue to patrol the area, with the last gun battle near the temple area in April leaving three people dead.

The border between the two nations has never been fully demarcated, partly because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

POST BAG From Cambodia with clarity

* Published: 13/10/2009
Bangkok Post
By Madame You Ay

Re: "Hun Sen, Cambodia's agent provocateur?" (Bangkok Post, Oct 7) written by "pseudo scholar" Pavin Chachavalpong-pun. His article, which was written with ill will and malicious intent, contains many manipulative and baseless arguments against Samdech Techo Hun Sen, prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, as follows:

First, when the Thai soldiers entered Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda near Preah Vihear temple, Cambodia exercised maximum restraint and great tolerance because the country was about to hold elections. At the same time, Prime Minister Hun Sen wanted to avoid armed clashes between the two countries.

Second, undoubtedly Prime Minister Hun Sen is far from being an ''agent provocateur''. He is a statesman and a respected leader of Asean. He did not stir up nationalism, as the writer has wrongly accused. In fact, it was Thailand that initiated the problem and tried to exploit extreme nationalist sentiment in order to make political gains.

Third, if you know Prime Minister Hun Sen, he has never wanted to provoke an armed conflict with Thailand. There is, and has been, no reason whatsoever for him to engage in this act of provocation. The true reality is that Thailand was the one that started it all. No peace-loving nation on earth like Cambodia wants to make political gains by provoking armed conflict with its neighbours. Therefore, the recent tensions between the two countries began with the yellow-shirt protesters from Thailand who wanted to enter our Preah Vihear temple.

The Cambodian government simply wanted to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. With regard to the point of warning the Thais to stop ''trespassing on Cambodian land'', what Prime Minister Hun Sen really wanted was to protect Cambodia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to avoid any armed clash between the two sides.

Fourth, Prime Minister Hun Sen never said that he wanted Thailand to give up its Asean chairmanship. Again, this is another factual error. What he really said at the time was whether Thailand would be able to host the Asean Summit and other related meetings, given its domestic situation then. Of course, later the Asean Summit and other meetings in Pattaya were cancelled, in April of this year. What Prime Minister Hun Sen said was proved absolutely right and no one can deny this fact.

Fifth, there was no need for Prime Minister Hun Sen to use the Preah Vihear temple issue to increase his popularity because he is already popular, and his Cambodian People's Party won the election with more than a two-thirds majority.

Sixth, after Thailand had destroyed the Cambodian market inside our territory, the Royal Government of Cambodia had to demand that the former pay compensation to the Cambodian people who were affected by the destruction of the market on Cambodian soil. This is a normal process, and Thailand should comply.

Seventh, we all know very well that the opposition party in any country in the world usually does not have any good things to say about the government in power. So, do you really want to join the opposition party in Cambodia against the Royal Government of Cambodia?

Finally, the issue of ''love-hate relations'' could only take place in Thailand, certainly not in Cambodia. Everyone in the world knows that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia. Cambodia has no ''love-hate relations'' whatsoever.

H E MRS YOU AY

Ambassador, Kingdom of Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Oct 12 (AFP) - Cambodia on Monday proposed neighbouring Thailand puts their border dispute on the agenda when it hosts this month's summit of Southeast Asian leaders, according to a diplomatic letter.

The summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and six dialogue partners -- China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand -- takes place in the coastal resort of Hua Hin on October 23-25.

In a letter to his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya, a copy of which was sent to AFP, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said the border dispute between the two countries should be included on the summit's agenda.

The move came after Kasit reportedly said last week he would seek approval at the meeting to establish a neutral organisation that would help settle the Thai-Cambodia dispute, which has sparked deadly skirmishes between troops.

"In this regard, I would like to propose that the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand in the area of the temple of Preah Vihear be included in the agenda of the ASEAN summit in Hua Hin," Hor Namhong said.

The focus of the border dispute has been an area of land around the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, where clashes have killed seven soldiers since nationalist tensions between the neighbours flared last year.

Cambodia and Thailand have been at loggerheads over the land around Preah Vihear for decades, but tensions spilled over into violence in July last year when the temple was granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

The World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia.

Soldiers from Cambodia and Thailand continue to patrol the area, with the last gunbattle near the temple area in April leaving three people dead.

Cambodian premier Hun Sen last month said that he had ordered his troops to shoot anyone from neighbouring Thailand who crossed illegally on to land around Preah Vihear.

The border between the two countries has never been fully demarcated, in part because it is littered with landmines left over from decades of war in Cambodia.

BANGKOK, Oct 12 (TNA) - Cambodia on Monday agreed with Thailand’s proposal to set up a mechanism to settle conflicts among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the group’s upcoming summit scheduled to take place later this month in the Thai seaside resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin.

The Associated Press (AP) quoted Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong as saying in a prepared statement that he backed a proposal by his Thai counterpart that ASEAN set up an arbitration body to help resolve the conflicting dual claims to land adjacent to the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

"I wish to propose that the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand in the area of the temple of Preah Vihear be included in the agenda of the ASEAN summit,'' he was quoted as saying in a statement sent to Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.

Mr Hor Namwong added that the issue is one of regional concern.

Meanwhile, Thani Thongphakdi, deputy director-general of the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry's Department of Information said the ministry believed that the report on Mr Hor's statement was not accurate.

He said the Thai minister of foreign affairs, until now, spoke about the ASEAN dispute settling mechanism in terms of an agenda that was expected to be discussed at the summit, but not involved with the Thai-Cambodian border disputes.

Mr Thani said Thailand had affirmed the stance to solve the border disputes between the two countries via the bilateral mechanism under the framework of Joint Boundary Commission (JBC).

However, if there were any developments informed from Cambodia, the ministry would make the announcement, he said.

During a speech in the Thai capital last Thursday on the problem of land sovereignty along the Thai-Cambodian border, Mr Kasit said that the proposal is a matter of wider concern.

He also reportedly expressed hope that the mechanism will help sort out border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia.

Thailand will host the 15th ASEAN Summit and its related summits in Phetchaburi's Cha-am district and Prachuab Khiri Khan's Hua Hin district October 23 to 25.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has confirmed that he will attend the summit despite the renewed tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

Mr Hun Sen earlier announced that he had ordered his Khmer troops to shoot any intruders from Thailand who stepped on Cambodian soil, after protesters led by Thailand's yellow-shirted Peoples’ Alliance for Democracy (PAD) rallied in Si Sa Ket province last month to oppose Cambodia's plan to build new structures in the contested 4.6 square kilometre zone surrounding Preah Vihear.

The border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia flared up when former Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama signed a joint communique with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in June 2008 to support Cambodia's sole application to list the 11th century temple as a World Heritage site, despite the question of sovereignty over the land having never been clearly resolved.

Mr Noppadon resigned on July 14, days after the Constitution Court ruled that his signing of a joint document backing Cambodia's bid to list the long-disputed Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site without endorsement by Thailand’s parliament was in breach of the country's supreme law.

On September 29, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announced that it would seek legal action against former prime minister Samak Sundaravej and former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama over last year’s issuance of a joint communique with Cambodia to endorse the listing of the historic Preah Vihear temple as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The NACC found grounds to charge the duo over the approval of a Cabinet resolution at that time to endorse the listing of Preah Vihear temple without parliamentary endorsement as required by the Constitution.

The International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, in a decision that Thailand was reluctant to accept and the surrounding land remains in dispute.

2009-10-12
Associated Press

Cambodia said Monday it will ask Southeast Asian leaders at an upcoming summit to help resolve a heated border dispute with Thailand that has sparked gun battles, protests and fears of a cross-border war.

Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said in a statement he backed a proposal by his Thai counterpart that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations set up an arbitration body to help resolve dueling claims to land near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple.

ASEAN leaders meet Oct. 23-25 in Thailand for the 10-nation bloc's annual summit.

Preah Vihear temple sits on a cliff in a disputed border zone between Thailand and Cambodia. It has been a source of tension and fueled nationalist sentiment on both sides of the border for decades.

Last year, UNESCO backed Cambodia's bid to list the temple as a world heritage site. Thailand initially supported the bid but then reneged after the move sparked outrage and protests. Some Thais worried that the distinction would undermine their claims to surrounding land.

Both sides rushed troops to the border, which resulted in several small gun battles and briefly sparked concerns of war.

In 1962, the World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia, but sovereignty over adjacent areas has never been clearly resolved.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen warned last month that anyone who illegally enters Cambodian territory near the temple will be shot.

Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said last week that he would seek approval at the ASEAN summit for the establishment of a neutral organization to settle disputes among members.

"This may provide an avenue for Thailand and Cambodia to settle the (Preah Vihear) dispute," he said.

Hor Namhong responded Monday, saying the issue is one of regional concern.

"I would like to propose that the dispute between Cambodia and Thailand in the area of the temple of Preah Vihear be included in the agenda of the ASEAN summit," he said in a statement sent to Kasit.

The two countries share a 500-mile (800-kilometer) land border, much of which has never been clearly demarcated because the countries refer to different maps.

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian people have had the currency since the 4th century and firstly printed it in the 15th century, official news agency AKP reported on Monday, citing Jean-Daniel Gardre, former trade and economic advisor at the French Embassy in Cambodia.

The first currency that Cambodia printed in late 15th and early 16th centuries was "Prak Sleung", Jean-Daniel Gardere wrote in his book.

According to Gardre, Cambodia had trade relations with outsider through river ports since Funan era, but at that time, currency was not popular among local people. It became popular when French Protectorate came to Indochina.

Cambodia printed its own currency and used throughout the country in 1954 after Cambodia got independence from France, Jean-Daniel Gardre added.

This 3-part and 10-chapter book published in Khmer language was launched here on Oct. 9 in a seminar on "Currency and Sovereignty", AKP said.