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10/11/09
Bangkok Post

Exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's arrival in Phnom Penh today to begin his new job as economic adviser to the Cambodian government, coupled with strong feelings against his improper remarks about the monarchy, will only further fuel suspicions about his loyalty to the highly respected institution and his motherland.

Despite his earlier claim on his website that he will not help Cambodia against Thailand, Thaksin is doing just the opposite. Intentionally or inadvertently, he is pushing the two neighbouring countries deeper into confrontation.

His arrival in Cambodia by private jet to begin his new assignment will certainly add a few more degrees to the already heated relationship between Phnom Penh and Bangkok.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he has already given instructions to make a formal request for Thaksin's extradition so he can serve his two-year jail term on corruption charges.

But Cambodia has repeatedly made it clear that it will not send the fugitive back because it considers the charges against him and conviction were politicall motivated.

Which means Bangkok may have to resort to more retaliatory measures on top of the downgrading of diplomatic relations and the reviewing of enforcible and pending legal obligations or deals between the two countries.

There have been calls by some nationalistic elements for the Abhisit government to shut the border with Cambodia, or to just stop Thais from visiting Cambodia. But the government has been so far cautious about resorting to any action which may hurt both Thai and Cambodian people who rely on the open border for their livelihood.

It is, however, incomprehensible how Thaksin actually could decide to go ahead with his journey to visit Cambodia and offer his services to Phnom Penh just one day after he offended so many of his countrymen with his controversial remarks about the monarchy in his interview with the Times of London which was posted on the newspaper’s website.

In the interview, the ousted premier, discussed the future king of Thailand and said “yes, yes” when asked by the Times reporter, Richard Parry, if he was saying that the monarchy was a good thing but that it needed reform. He also called on His Majesty the King or the Crown Prince to step in to resolve the long-standing domestic political conflict and bring about national reconciliation and unity.

As would be expected, the Abhisit government blasted Thaksin, accusing himn of being offensive to the monarchy. Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya accused him of making improper comments about His Majesty and the Crown Prince.

Thaksin has categorically denied he spoke offensive about the royal instutition and accused Times Online of twisting his words. He insisted that he and his family were loyal to Their Majesties and would lay down their lives for them if needed.

On the streets, opinions about the controversial interview are mixed, especially among foreigners who are not familiar with Thai sensitivity about the monarchy. Thus, it is not surprising that several people who have read through the full transcript of Thaksin’s interview do not find any remarks they see as offensive to the monarchy.

But for many Thais, any public discussion about the succession issue is deemed offensive and inappropriate to the reigning monarch, especially if it was made by someone of Thaksin’s status, who twice served as prime minister of Thailand and who should be fully aware of the impropriety of discussing the issue in public.

A full clarification about the matter is yet to come from Thaksin.

Whatever his denial, Thaksin appears to have made a gross miscalculation when he went public with the foreign media on a subject which many Thais consider so sensitive. While many Thais were still questioning his motives, the exiled former premier made another huge mistake by jetting into Cambodia to serve the Phnom Penh regime in open defiance to the growing sentiment at home that he might betray his motherland.

In his apparent haste to make a political comeback, Thaksin may actually hasten his own political demise through his own blunders.