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Bangkok Post

The group of 40 senators on Thursday demanded the government respond to and denounce Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for appointing exiled fomer premier Thaksin Shinawatra his economic adviser.

Senator Paiboon Nititawan said the appointment is an affront to the dignity of Thailand.

He suggested the government sever relations with the Cambodian government.

''This is not just a personal matter for Hun Sen,'' he said. But if the government truly believed it was, then it should end relations with the Cambodian prime minister.

If the government chose to ignore the matter, then it could be viewed as dereliction of duty, he said.

Mr Paiboon said it was a serious matter because Mr Hun Sen had said he would not allow Thaksin's extradition to Thailand because the charges against the fugitive politician were "politically motivated".

This meant that the Cambodian government was strongly denouncing the Thai justicial system, Mr Paiboon said.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said he would not atempt to interfere in what was an internal matter for Cambodia.

However, he woud ensure an application is made for Thaksin's extradition if he sets foot in Cambodia, even though Phnom Penh seemed determined not to cooperate.

It was not worth starting a conflict with a neighbouring country just because a Thai fugitive was hiding there. He did not see Cambodia as a threat, nor feel that Mr Hun Sen's decision was a challenge to the Thai government or the Thai justicial system.

He did wonder, though, how Mr Hun Sen would react if Thailand appointed Sam Rainsy an adviser to the government.