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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.