Logo

BANGKOK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand and Cambodia could negotiate to solve the ongoing diplomatic standoff and to prevent this bilateral problem from escalating, Thailand's Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul suggested Monday.

If the two countries let the bilateral problem continue and the Thai-Cambodian border might be closed, this will affect the people of the two countries, Thai News Agency quoted Chavarat as saying.

Thailand and Cambodia are now on the political standoff after ousted former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra was officially appointed on Nov. 4 as adviser of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Senand the Royal Government of Cambodia King Norodom Sihamoni.

Over the weekend, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced that Thaksin will visit Cambodia this week after he has been named the country's economic adviser.

On Nov 12, Thaksin will hold a briefing with over 300 Cambodian economics experts at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Hun Sen said.

Meanwhile, the Thai-Cambodian border trade has remained normal amid rumors from the Cambodian side that the Thai-Cambodian border might be closed.

A lot of Cambodians come to buy goods, particularly foods, including water from the Thai side to stockpile.

After the appointment of Thaksin, the Cambodian government on Nov. 5 announced to recall its ambassador to Thailand in a move to respond to the Thai government's earlier recall of its ambassador to Cambodia.

Thaksin was ousted by the military coup in September 2006, in accusation of corruption, and is living in exile since then.

He returned to Thailand in February 2008 to face corruption charges, but he later fled into exile again and was convicted in absentia.