Hun Sen's stance on Thaksin was positive: [Thai] PM

(The Nation)- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's surprise message he would not allow former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to use the neighbouring country as a base to attack the Thai government, was a positive sign for normalisation of diplomatic relations, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen is a leader who knows very well about the interests of people and interests of the country to maintain good relations with neighbouring countries," Abhisit told reporters.

Neighbours should seek only good relations to ensure trade, and investment benefits, with no intervention in the internal affairs of others, he said.

Hun Sen made a surprise move over bilateral ties with Thailand, telling Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsubhan - who made a courtesy call on him on Sunday- that he would not allow Thaksin to enter Cambodia during the red shirt protest in Thailand.

Prime Minister Abhisit said he was briefed by Suthep on the message and interpreted it as a good sign to pave the way to mend bilateral ties.

"I won't analyse why he changed his stance, except to take it into account as a good sign for normalisation of relations," Abhisit said.

Relations with Phnom Penh soured when Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as an economic adviser in October and rejected a Thai request to extradite Thaksin when he was in Phnom Penh in November last year.

The appointment worsened the situation as both countries' ties were already uneasy following the border conflict near Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand recalled its ambassador and Cambodia followed suit. Phnom Penh also rejected Thai aid to renovate the road from Poipet to Siem Reap.

Asked if Hun Sen's latest message could begin a move for ambassadors on both sides to resume their duties soon, Abhisit simply said the Foreign Ministry would work on it, step by step.

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said he had the same message from Suthep and would work on the new signs later, finding out how to restore relations.

Thaksin's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said the relationship between Hun Sen and Thaksin remained good and Abhisit might twist the Cambodian leader's words to discredit Thaksin.

Thaksin was able to visit Cambodia as usual and Hun Sen had told the fugitive ex-PM before joining the mekong summit that their relationship was still a good one.

"I think Prime Minister Hun Sen might have [made that comment] for diplomatic purposes which Abhisit might not understand, but merely wants a statement to discredit former Prime Minister Thaksin," said Noppadon, who is also a former foreign minister.

"For Hun Sen, I think Thaksin is more valuable than Abhisit, whose time in power is running out", he said.

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Thaksin may come back to Cambodia

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said in his Twitter page on Saturday morning that he plans to visit leaders of three Asian countries next week.

“This trip will take about seven or eight days” Thaksin said but did not give any details on the name of countries he would visit.

There was a report that Thaksin might also visit Cambodia to meet with Sivarak Chutiphong, the Thai engineer who received a royal pardon from King Narodom Sihamoni on Thursday after being sentenced to seven years in jail for spying by a Cambodia court.

Thaksin’s close associate Noppadon Pattama was reached for confirmation of the new trip to Cambodia of Thaksin but he said he had no knowledge about it.

Bangkok Post

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Thaksin pleased to hear Prem's remarks [Thai jet fighters followed Thaksin's plane from Siem Reap Airport]

Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra reiterated his wish to sit at the negotiation table during his phone-in last night, and repeated his earlier statement that he was happy to hear Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda voice a desire for national reconciliation.
Thaksin quoted Prem as saying that it was time for people to turn to one another, adding that Prem's statement was "long over due" because the country had been suffering for far too long.

The fugitive ex-premier said the situation would reach boiling point if no talks were held, citing the political conflicts in the Philippines as an example. "When I heard what Pa [Prem] said [about turning to one another], I was happy and wished it would come true,'' he said.

Critics believe that the soon-to-be-delivered verdict on Thaksin's assets is the real reason behind his desperate call for negotiations.

During the phone-in, Thaksin also accused the government of instructing jet fighters to follow his plane when he took off from Cambodia last month.

He claimed that he had obtained documents from the Air Force to prove that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's government had ordered fully equipped fighters to follow him. He said 10 minutes after his private jet took off fromSiem Reap on November 14 at 9.45am, a squadron of F-16 jets started following him.

"They flew over Thai territory while I flew through Cambodian skies heading for Malaysia. It seemed as if they were monitoring my plane until I was near Hat Yai, when two F-5 planes took over from the F-16s," he said.

"Nobody should allow fully loaded war jets to follow a civilian airplane. Maybe they have been watching too many movies, and somebody is not doing his administrative job well," he said.

Meanwhile Banjerd Singkanethi, a former member of the Assets Examination Committee, told the Supreme Court yesterday that the Thaksin government had abused its power by issuing an executive decree on telecom excise taxes during its tenure.

His testimony was part of the prosecution's argument that Thaksin's Bt76-billion assets should be frozen.

Banjerd said the executive decree, which benefited Advanced Info Service, a unit of Shin Corp, was issued without parliamentary approval.

In addition, he said, AIS had won approval from the state-owned TOT's board during Thaksin's tenure from 2001 to 2006 to deduct telecom-roaming charges from its revenue before they were shared with the state.

As a result, TOT's income from the AIS concession was reduced.

The Nation

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Why Did We [Thais] Tear Up the Thai-Cambodian MoU Again?

Thereafter, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya announced that Thailand may tear up the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand and Cambodia on the overlapping maritime territory between Thailand and Cambodia, as it was signed by the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2001, who may reveal relevant information to put Thailand at a disadvantage in future negotiations. After all, the overlapping maritime territory is known to be the home of a lot of oil and natural gas.

In addition, Deputy Secretary General to the Prime Minister Dr. Panitan Wattanayakorn echoed Foreign Minister Kasit that the move was necessary to protect the country's interests. Dr. Panitan's support of the decision put even more weight behind the move, eliminating many doubts Thais may have had about the decision.

Out of patriotism, I (M.R. Preediyathorn) initially supported the Government's decision.

However, many veteran academics came out afterwards and publicly warned the Government about such move, prompting me (M.R. Preediyathorn) to acquire a copy of the MoU to see for myself. I (M.R. Preediyathorn) have to say that I was immediately enlightened and shocked.

The fact is that the MoU was written in no way that would allow the former Prime Minister and fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra to reveal any information to the Cambodian Government to put Thailand at a disadvantage. The MoU stipulates that the current Thai Government has the full authority in negotiating with the Cambodian government in terms of the consensus on who gets what, who is responsible for what, how a particular operation should be carried out, as well as how the benefits will be shared, are all entirely up to the two current Governments of Thailand and Cambodia.

As such, Thaksin is, at least with regard to this MoU, in no way a threat to the interests of Thailand as the economic adviser for Prime Minister Hun Sen. The current Government has every right to decide and keep negotiation information a mystery to Thaksin.

Furthermore, the MoU mandates that a joint committee made up of Thai and Cambodian representatives be set up to facilitate an appropriate negotiation. To my (M.R. Preediyathorn) knowledge, the aforementioned joint committee has yet to be set up. In fact, the Government hasn't even set any policies to hint at forming such a joint committee.

All Thailand has to do to keep Cambodia's hand out of the cookie jar is to close the lid by abstaining from setting up the joint committee. Without the committee, Thaksin is entirely irrelevant.

In the end, I (M.R. Preediyathorn) don't see the necessity to drop the MoU at all. While conflicts last for days, weeks or months, we should keep in mind that bordering countries must continue to co-exist for hundreds and thousands of years to come. And as many like to say that there is sunshine after rain, in this particular matter of the overlapping maritime territory, the sun may never shine again for either countries if the MoU is scrapped in the end.

One particular aspect of this whole ordeal that truly upsets me (M.R. Preediyathorn) is the fact that Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said that there is a potential that the former prime minister and fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra could put Thailand at a disadvantage having been appointed the economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The result is that those who are in the know about such truth of the MoU, both in Cambodia and in other countries, certainly have lost some level of respect for the Thai Government.

In my opinion, it isn't too late for the Thai Government to fix this problem. The decision to scrap the MoU will have to pass through the House and the Senate, which is set to be a rough ride. Don't expect the MPs and Senators to be so easy on the decision, as these guys, to some level, still have Thailand's interests at heart.

November 23rd, 2009 edition
by M.R. Preediyathorn Thewakul, former Deputy Prime Minister in 2006
rewritten by Patcharapol Jitramontree
patcharapol@tannetwork.tv
Posted on Thai-ASEAN News Network

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Kasit misled the [Thai] nation on MOU with Cambodia

MATICHON NEWSPAPER, on November 16, published an article on Dr Kriangsak Kittichaiseri who was one of the members in the Thai team that negotiated the drafting of the Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Cambodia on Overlapping Maritime Boundaries.

Both countries claim the areas, which are known to have a sizeable deposits of oil and natural gas.

The details of the MoU were also published alongside the article. Having read the article and the MoU, I blamed myself for being so na๏ve and listening to the words of our Minister of Foreign Affairs on this issue.

My misunderstanding started from the nationalistic emotion as a Thai. The appointment of Police Lt-Colonel Thaksin Shinawatra, who was sentenced for wrongdoing in some cases by a Thai court, to be personal adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, was deemed as insulting behaviour by the prime minister of Cambodia towards Thailand and its justice system.

I felt it was an adequate retaliation to protect the nation's dignity when, immediately after the appointment, the Thai government recalled the Thai ambassador. Later on, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya threatened to revoke the said MoU, with Minister Kasit saying that the revocation was necessary because the MoU was negotiated and signed during Thaksin's administration. It allowed Thaksin to know all the inside story and important clauses in this MoU.

Such comprehension would enable Thaksin to give advice to our disadvantage and directly impact the negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia under the framework of the MoU.

This story line was also disclosed by Dr Panithan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, which made it more believable. As a Thai who do not want to be taken advantage of by the Cambodian who insulted our dignity, I, of course, concurred that the move to revoke the MoU was intended to protect the interest of Thailand.

Later on, several eminent persons appeared and considerately gave warnings to the government on this matter with good rationale, which shook my original beliefs.

In the end, it was the article by Dr. Kriangsak that made the whole story become clear to me and I realised that I was completely taken in and fooled by Minister Kasit's story, which was a hoax.

It was quite clear that there is not any clause or any wordings in the MoU that would allow the persons who were behind the original draft an edge in giving advice, which would be of special benefit to the Cambodia side over the Thai side in further negotiations. The next negotiation will be under full control of the new negotiators or the new government which would take control of the negotiation.

The outcome of the negotiation in the joint development area with regard to who will be responsible for what, which party would be a developer, which job will be contracted out and to whom, and any commercial conditions, including the proportion of revenue sharing, totally depends on the new government. They would control the negotiation without being bound by any conditions mentioned or even thought of by the Thaksin government in the past.

The outcome of the negotiation in the area that was agreed to be split in various zones or blocs, which party would develop which zone and the percentage of revenue sharing also totally depends on the new government which controls the negotiation. No other person could, therefore, presume in advance using their privilege.

The MoU specified that in order to negotiate further, a joint committee on technical issues must be established, comprising both Thai and Cambodian members.

To my knowledge, such a committee has not yet been established and there is not any instruction or policy from the government to start the negotiation on this matter.

If we want to thwart any chance to make use of the oil and gas supply under the sea in the area that would benefit Cambodia, simply refraining from establishing the joint committee and from any further negotiation would be effective. Otherwise, if we are so troubled that Thaksin could give advice advantageous to Cambodia, we can simply avoid by not appointing the joint committee for further negotiation. I do not see any necessity to revoke this MoU by any means.

Countries which have a joint boundary and overlapping maritime area will be inseparable for thousands of years. A conflict that exists today could, one fine day, disappear. An opportunity to develop the natural resources in the overlapping area would still be ready to be exploited for mutual benefit if we do not allow emotion to take control of ourselves and lead to an unnecessary act of revocation.

However, what upset me most in this circumstance was the fact that our Minister of Foreign Affairs gave false information to the public. This time, it is the information related to the relation with foreign countries, which normally the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be especially careful and thoroughly cautious about. When our Minister of Foreign Affairs told an untrue story while our counterpart was aware of the fact, the integrity of the Thai government was at stake, not only in the eyes of our counterpart but also in the eyes of other countries in international arena who may well be aware of the content of this MoU.

I think it is still not too late for the government to change its stance on this issue. Do not be too confident that your proposal to revoke the said MoU will be approved by Parliament. MPs in many parties and even those in the Democrats do think of the national interest as the main objective. I do not want to see the government being changed when this proposal is voted down in the Parliament.

Until next Monday.

The Nation

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Foreign Ministry: Thai charged with gaining secret information affecting Cambodia's national security

BANGKOK, Nov 18 (TNA) - Cambodian authorities filed charges Wednesday against a Thai engineer, accusing him of acquiring secret information which affects Cambodia's national security, according to the secretary of Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Chavanond Intarakomalyasut.

Siwarak Chutipong, 31, an employee of Cambodia Air Traffic Services (CATS), was arrested in the Cambodian capital on spying charges last week after he was found releasing the flight schedule of fugitive ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra to a Thai embassy official in Phnom Penh.

Mr Chavanond said that the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs had prepared a lawyer for Mr Siwarak, but it depends on him whether he wants to use the ministry's or his personal lawyer.

He said the ministry is now preparing legal materials to help the defendant against the Cambodian accusations, but that will be done under Cambodian legal procedure.

Foreign ministry official Thani Thongphakdi, deputy information director, said the ministry has received official notification from Cambodia of the charge, but details cannot be revealed now as the matter is now in court.

Mr Thani said that the foreign ministry is providing a Cambodian lawyer for Mr Siwarak as Cambodian law indicates that only Cambodian attorneys are allowed to represent a client in court.

He said that the lawyer is experienced in human rights issues, adding that the Thai Justice ministry has dispatched its senior officials to help take care of the case.

Following news reports that opposition Puea Thai Party chairman Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyuth will fly to escort Mr Siwarak back to Thailand, Mr Thani commented that the incident happened due to the visit to Phnom Penh of the convicted ex-premier, and that whoever gives a hand to help Mr Siwarak is doing good, but must not make the story more complicated.

The deputy director-general added that deputy director general of the Consular Affairs Department Mathurapojana Ittharong visited Mr Siwarak’s family in Nakhon Ratchasima province to offer moral support and later took them ready passports for their trip to Phnom Penh to visit the defendant if they are allowed by Cambodian authorities.

Meanwhile, opposition member of parliament Jatuporn Prompan, also a leading member of the co-called ‘Red Shirt’ United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) revealed that the Cambodian authorities have got three clear pieces of evidence which indicate Mr Siwarak’s guilt and is a danger to Cambodia's national security.

Mr Jatuporn said the three items of evidence are the flight schedule, an audio clip of conversation between Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and the first secretary of Thai embassy to Phnom Penh, and an audio clip in which the first secretary instructed Mr Siwarak to steal Mr Thaksin's flight schedule.

The Puea Thai MP said that Cambodia considers that Thailand has interfered in its domestic affairs as it considers that the flight schedule is related to its national security.

Mr Jatuporn urged the Thai foreign minister to admit what he had done before the Cambodian authorities expose the audio clip to the public, which he said will destroy Thailand’s credibility, as well as his own.

The Puea Thai MP added that former premier Thaksin has coordinated with Cambodian authorities about the case and has been told that the legal procedure will be rapidly conducted with the minimum punishment.

He said if Mr Siwarak is convicted with a suspension of imprisonment, the Cambodian authorities will inform Gen Chavalit to take the Thai engineer back to Thailand.

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Cambodia search Siwarak's firm

Cambodia conducts a search on Wednesday at Cambodia Air Traffic Services (Cats) in Phnom Penh, the company where a Thai engineer arrested for allegedly spying worked, an informed source said.

The search is part of gathering of evidence of a charge filed against Siwarak Chutipong, 31, who was arrested last week for stealing flight information of convicted ex-Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia's PM Hun Sen.

A Phnom Penh court charged Siwarak of stealing information deemed detrimental to national security.

Prosecutors claimed Khmer police seized the flight information from Siwarak when they arrested.

Cats is a subsidiary company of Samart Corps in charge of providing air traffic services in Cambodia.

Wed, November 18, 2009
The Nation

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Thailand, Cambodia seek to cool row

SINGAPORE, Nov 18 — Thailand and Cambodia yesterday made attempts to cool a bilateral row sparked by the appointment of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser to Cambodian Premier Hun Sen.

Thailand’s Cabinet deferred a review of bilateral agreements and aid to the neighbouring country, while Cambodia granted Thai diplomats access to a detained Thai engineer who had been accused of spying.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that his government would try to secure the engineer’s release.

Following a Cabinet meeting to review aid to Cambodia yesterday, he told reporters: “There is still plenty of time to consider (cutting aid and loans). There is no need to hurry.”

His spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the diplomatic spat was not escalating.

“Although the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia is still not normal, the tension has not increased,” Professor Panitan told The Straits Times yesterday.

On Nov 5, Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Phnom Penh a day after Thaksin took up Hun Sen’s offer to be his economic adviser, and Cambodia reciprocated by recalling its ambassador in Bangkok.

A series of tit-for-tat diplomatic moves followed. Bangkok put all talks and cooperation programmes with Cambodia on hold. It also revoked a 2001 memorandum of understanding on energy development in the Gulf of Thailand, which was signed under Thaksin’s administration.

The row escalated last week when Cambodia refused to extradite the former Thai premier after he flew into Cambodia for a five-day trip starting Nov 10.

Cambodia expelled the first secretary of Thailand’s embassy in Phnom Penh on Nov 12 after alleging that Thai engineer Siwarak Chutiphong had passed information to the diplomat. Bangkok expelled a Cambodian diplomat in return.

On the same day, Cambodia arrested Siwarak, who works for Cambodia Air Traffic Services in Phnom Penh, accusing him of having passed on information on Thaksin’s flight schedules to the Thai Embassy.

The Thai government says the information was publicly available.

Yesterday, Thailand’s charge d’affaires and other diplomats in Phnom Penh met the 31-year-old engineer. His mother has called on Thaksin to use his personal friendship with Hun Sen to free her son, reported Bangkok Post.

The former premier is abroad dodging a two-year jail sentence for graft at home — but is determined to claw his way back into power in Thailand. He was ousted in a military coup in September 2006.

Thaksin, 60, is a highly divisive figure who still enjoys huge support among Thailand’s poor, particularly in rural northern parts of the country — but he faces equally strong opposition from elements of Bangkok’s old elite who back the ruling Democrat Party.

His physical presence so close to Thailand, and Hun Sen’s vocal support for him, had rattled the Thai government.

Several academics at a seminar on Monday cautioned the Thai government to be mature and restrained in dealing with the diplomatic row.

In another sign that tensions have somewhat eased, Thai Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said yesterday: “Cambodian people and Thai people, even the soldiers, still have a good relationship.”

Speaking to foreign journalists during a visit to the border district of Si Saket yesterday, he added: “In the past, we have had worse situations, but we have resolved them.

“Nobody likes war, which is why we have to solve the current row diplomatically.”

The Straits Times

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Growing concerns over possible violence between Cambodia-Thailand

As tensions between Thailand and Cambodia continue to simmer, there's growing concern violence could erupt between the two countries.

A visit to Cambodia by the fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has sparked the latest row.

Mr Thaksin's visit has led to the arrest of a Thai man in Cambodia accused of spying on Thaksin's movements and a threat by Thailand to suspend all aid to its poorer neighbour.

The tensions between the two countries are being felt especially near the disputed border region at the Preah Vihear temple.

Thailand's Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga has visited the region to reassure the thousands of Thai officers stationed there.

He told them they had the support and protection of the government and also offered the officers food and supplies as a gesture of thanks.

Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga was also there to calm the local villagers.

"At this moment there are alot of news that might frighten the people, alot of people are concerned about their normal living," he said.

"So the Prime Minister wants me to express his concerns to the people and to make the people confident in their government, in the security of their life."

'No immediate threat'

Despite the deepening rift between Cambodia and Thailand and deadly incidents between the armies in the past at the Preah Vihear temple, Justice Minister Piripan told visiting reporters that there were no immediate threats in the region.

The temple, which is of Hindu origin, was built in the 8th century.

The temple is on Cambodian soil, as recognised by UNESCO's world heritage listing last year.

But the land around the temple, measuring about 4.5 square kilometres, has been in dispute for decades.

Preah Vihear has been the site of numerous violent clashes in recent years, and the local villagers deal with the danger on a day-to-day basis.

Locals

Bunkers have been built across the region to protect the locals in case of an attack according to Deputy Village chief Seng Wongthong.

He told the ABC, the situation in the region is tense.

While the villagers seem glad for the protection, many of them want the dispute to end so the border area can flourish.

Many of them even support Mr Thaksin.

Nam Chan-Ob lost part of his right left a decade ago, when he was foraging for mushrooms and shoots in the jungle.

He says that if there was no conflict, tourists would visit the region.

"Foreigners can visit and we can make money..right now, no one is earning an income," he said.

For now, the guns are quiet along the restive border. Trade is continuing and life goes on.

But Cambodia and Thailand aren't talking about the issues that divide them and that means hopes for a resolution are a long way off.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Karen Percy, Sisakret province
Australia Network News

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Hun Sen seeks to 'internationalise' spat [with Thailand]

Thailand's domestic turmoil has been further complicated by the political tempest that blew through Bangkok from Phnom Penh last week. For the first time, the protracted Thai political crisis is no longer wholly domestic but has direct foreign bearings from next door.

In a flurry of seemingly orchestrated offensive manoeuvres, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has put the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on the back foot. Mr Hun Sen has achieved several objectives, whereas Mr Abhisit's government has yet to define what it wants out of the retaliatory spiral that has brought contemporary Thai-Cambodian relations to its nadir.

To be sure, Mr Hun Sen's deliberate provocation was designed and timed to rock the Abhisit government. It began with the Cambodian leader's invitation to. and warm reception of, Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's visit to Phnom Penh in mid-October. At that time, Mr Hun Sen expressed sympathy for convicted and exiled Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, hinting the latter could find refuge in Cambodia.

At the Asean Summit in Cha-am a week later, Mr Hun Sen's second move was to follow through with statements to the media indicating that Thaksin should be made an adviser to the Cambodian government.

The Cambodian strongman then returned to Phnom Penh to officially appoint Thaksin as government adviser on the economy.

The fourth move was to invite Mr Thaksin to give a talk last week. All of these moves took place just prior to the Apec leaders' meeting and the inaugural Asean-US summit, which Mr Abhisit was to preside over as Asean chair.

The Abhisit government was behind Mr Hun Sen's curve balls throughout. It should have sent clearer and louder signals that avoided unnecessary ridicule, insult, condescension and sarcasm.

Instead, Mr Abhisit's press conference in Cha-am warned Mr Hun Sen not to be used as a pawn by Thaksin. If the Cambodian ambassador failed to show up when summoned by the Thai government, clear signals should have been sounded as well.

By the time Mr Hun Sen appointed Thaksin, the Abhisit government went ballistic when it should have been measured and nuanced. It could have recalled the Thai ambassador for consultations before sending him back to Phnom Penh.

The intensity and rapidity of Bangkok's level of responses, including the revocation of a memorandum of understanding on overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand and suspension of aid and soft loans, made the Abhisit government appear flustered and blustered.

Moreover, it reflected the Abhisit government's misguided estimation of Thailand's leverage over Cambodia and betrays its own shortcomings, which were discussed in detail in Mr Hun Sen's long interview last week.

Indeed, Mr Hun Sen has not been nice but he may have had his reasons for not being nice to Mr Abhisit's government. And there appears little the Thai leader can do about it.

Unlike bygone years, new geopolitical realities now mean Bangkok is merely one among many in the pecking order of importance to Cambodia. China, Vietnam, Russia, Japan, and even South Korea have been instrumental players in Cambodia's economic development. The Thai government needs to accept Cambodia's status as an up-and-coming emerging economy after decades of war, conflict and tragedy, with more than its fair share of natural resources that beckons partners near and far, and relative political stability alongside democratic legitimacy to boot.

On the other hand, Mr Hun Sen has been pent up on a number of old scores, as his interview revealed. The Cambodian leader was miffed, of course, when Mr Abhisit appointed a foreign minister who publicly called him a gangster on a nationalist stage where Mr Hun Sen was a ping-pong ball. Mr Abhisit's misjudgement on his foreign minister choice, owing to his own miscalculation and/or pressure from his backers, doomed Thai-Cambodian relations from the outset.

Moreover, Mr Hun Sen viewed the Abhisit government's reneging on Cambodia's registration of Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site as back-stabbing following Mr Abhisit's personal assurance that it could be discussed. The Abhisit government did little to rein in right-wing groups from demonstrating at Preah Vihear areas, some even demanding the return of the temple which belongs to Cambodia by international law.

The bilateral atmosphere was further poisoned by the Abhisit government's allowing Sam Rainsy, an opposition leader in Cambodian politics, to use a forum in Bangkok to attack Mr Hun Sen.

With the expulsion of a Thai diplomat and the arrest of a Thai engineer on spying charges, Mr Hun Sen has not flinched in the face of Thai retaliation. While he is settling old scores, Mr Hun Sen's persistence of harassment and taking sides in Thailand's deep-seated polarisation by allowing Thaksin to use Cambodia as a staging ground, would suggest that Phnom Penh is intent on carrying out this bilateral spat to its logical conclusion in regionalising and internationalising the Thai-Cambodian conflict.

Mr Hun Sen would have an edge not in bilateral dealings but in regional and international considerations, especially if the Abhisit government ratchets up retaliation and ends up with overreaction.

Mr Abhisit must now own up to his misjudgements.

A cabinet reshuffle is imperative. He should treat Mr Hun Sen with respect and appeal for Cambodia to stay out of Thai affairs like other countries, such as the United Kingdom and China, have done.

Most important, Mr Abhisit must come up with an overarching policy objective in order to locate and shape the political and diplomatic tools to achieve it. That objective should be to persuade Mr Hun Sen to not let Thaksin use Cambodian soil as his launch pad to battle his opponents.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak is Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.

18/11/2009
Thitinan Pongsudhirak
Bangkok Post

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Now, can Abhisit live without Hun Sen?

AS FAR as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is concerned, the good news is that Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra have been a big help in making the past few days arguably the Democrat leader's best spell at the country's helm. The bad news is, this politically lucrative saga with Cambodia cannot last forever.

Knowing Thaksin, a big marketing promotion must be in store to offset the Cambodian setback. So, don't be surprised if the Thai "spy" now in Phnom Penh's custody is to be released thanks to an intervention from, ahem, a hero in Dubai.

Siwarak Chotipong is in a peculiar situation. The longer he stays in the Cambodian jail, the more it reflects poorly on the very man Hun Sen has gone so far out of his way to help. On the other hand, his quick release will ease the diplomatic tension, and while this will relieve Abhisit, it won't benefit him as much politically.

Like Thaksin, the Pheu Thai Party must not want the Siwarak affair to drag on. For the first time since the 2006 coup, it is now a "real" political force, one that is not hounded by threats of party dissolution or other legal roadblocks. The Thai-Cambodian conflict is arguably Pheu Thai's softest spot now, and the sooner the problem is solved, the better.

We will see Thaksin switching back to parliamentary games. Pheu Thai will certainly launch a censure attack at the very first opportunity early next year. Rumours that government coalition MPs will break ranks to vote with the opposition at the end of the no-confidence debate are likely to get louder in the next few weeks.

Regarding Cambodia, Pheu Thai's strategy is "no strategy". Party sources admit that Hun Sen's aggression has backfired, but they insist that in terms of political damage, it's nothing a little time won't fix. The party will lie low - hoping that Hun Sen will calm down and there will be no torch-wielding mobs heading toward the Thai Embassy - and come out all guns blazing after the year's end.

Despite Hun Sen, Pheu Thai will likely still win an election if it's held in the next six months, although the margin of victory may not be as large as it could have been without the Phnom Penh fiasco. In the current political context, this means a lot. A victorious Pheu Thai not threatened by legal booby traps is something the Democrats and all other Thaksin opponents have never dealt with before.

The question is how patient can Pheu Thai be? Or, to be more exact, how patient can Thaksin be, especially when the move to seize his confiscated billions is making quick progress and may be concluded before the next election is held? We all know what can happen if Thaksin loses his cool. Thailand nearly had a civil war in April, and almost severed ties with its neighbour just a week ago.

Pheu Thai can play a waiting game and in the process wear down any negative ramifications of the Thai-Cambodian row. Their opponents are running out of legal weapons, and the smartest idea is to try to keep it that way and bide time. That is probably easier than controlling a potential loose cannon in Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Which brings us to Pheu Thai's biggest, unsolved problem: The desperate absence of a genuine prime ministerial contender. We are approaching the first anniversary of the Suvarnabhumi Airport blockade and events that left the pro-Thaksin camp exposed over this, but little has changed since. The party has had to rely on Chalerm Yoobamrung as its most charismatic figure, until Chavalit was dragged out of virtual retirement to wreak havoc.

While Thaksin has not yet become a Pheu Thai liability, Chavalit is by no means a party asset, and that's putting it mildly. A Thaksin of one or two years ago might have been able to paper over Chavalit's numerous drawbacks, but both men's disastrous stunts in Phnom Penh can only mean each will be better off on his own.

With lessons regarding Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat still fresh, it will require political naivety of the highest order for Pheu Thai to risk everything on Chavalit. Whether his Cambodian antics were impeachable is debatable, but that doesn't mean nobody will give it a shot.

Abhisit, however, will find that no matter how rocky Pheu Thai's road still appears, early next year could be the most thrilling time yet as prime minister. And, most ironically perhaps, when a headless yet legally unshackled Pheu Thai throws everything at him in a censure debate, he may think of one Hun Sen and all the things he could have done to ease his trouble.

November 18, 2009
By Tulsathit Taptim
The Nation

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Thai Govt hopes to see Siwarak's release

The government hopes Cambodia will release Siwarak Chutiphong soon after the man was allowed to talk to his mother on the phone today, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday.

He said the government was coordinating with Cambodia to know the exact charges against Mr Siwarak in order to plan for legal defence.

"There is hope (for his release). But we have to first follow legal procedures. Exact charges against him are not yet known. I think this should be clear by tomorrow," said the prime minister, adding that Cambodia had taken the right move by allowing Mr Siwarak to talk to his mother on the phone.

Mr Abhisit denied a report that Cambodia had asked the Thai government to review Kasit Piromya's performance as foreign minister or replace him.

Bangkok Post

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[Thai] Govt rejects Thaksin's offer of help

The government has rejected an offer from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to ask the Cambodian government to ensure a Thai engineer arrested for spying is fairly treated by the courts.

The offer was conveyed by lawyer Noppadon Pattama, a close Thaksin associate. He said had talked the matter over with his boss, who said he was ready to help if asked by the Thai government.

He said Thaksin could not be seen as trying to meddle in Cambodia's justice system and internal affairs, but was willing to ask Cambodia to ensure that the suspect, Siwarak Chothpong 31, is fairly treated by the courts and that his relatives be allowed to visit him.

Thaksin's offer to help was promptly turned down by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who said although Thai officials had not been allowed access to Mr Siwarak the government did not need to ask Thaksin for help.

'In fact, it was him (Thaksin) who caused the problem," Mr Abhisit said.

The prime minister said it was not necessary for him to talk directly with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on the telephone over this matter. The Foreign Affairs Ministry was handling it.

Nor was there need for the president of Indonesia to act as mediator.

Mr Abhisit admitted that if Cambodia continued to deny Thailand's request for access to the uspect, the conflict between the two countries might escalate.

He said he still did not know exactly what the charges are against Mr Siwarak.

Earlier today, Newin Chidchob, de facto leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, said Thaksin, who is now economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, should ask Cambodia to release the Thai engineer.

"Thaksin is trusted by Prime Minister Hun Sen. He should use his close relationship with Cambodia to help the Thai engineer, if he still thinks he represents Thai people and considers himself a Thai person," Thaksin's former right-hand man said.

Mr Newin, however, said he would not phone Thaksin to beg for his help.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Wimon Kidchob said Thai charge d'affaires Chalothorn Paovibul had made an official request to visit Mr Siwarak. Mr Chalothorn would like to visit Mr Siwarak himself and meet with Camboldian officials handling the matter. Cambodia had not yet replied to the request, she said.

Mrs Wimon said it was not unusual for Mr Siwarak to personally know the first secretary at the Thai embassy, who has been expelled from Phnom Penh.

She declined to say what action would be taken if Cambodia rejected the request for access to the prisoner.

16/11/2009
Bangkok Post

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Yudhoyono meets Abisit, Hun Sen to help reduce tension

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono met with Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Sunday morning and will later in the day meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to help tensions between the two countries that share land borders.

No official statement was given about the bilateral meeting between Yudhoyono and Abhisit, but presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said earlier that Indonesia wanted to ease tensions at the border.

Dino said that Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa had communicated with his Thai counterpart Kasit Piromya to discuss about the border tension.

"We hope this tension can be resolved peacefully," Dino was quoted by Antara as saying.

Conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand have originated border from disputes around the famous old temple, Preah Vihear.

The World Court awarded the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but sovereignty over the surrounding land has never been clearly resolved.

Tensions flared in July when UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency, approved Cambodia's bid to have Preah Vihear named a World Heritage Site, leading some Thais to believe their claims to the surrounding land would be undermined.

Both sides have stepped up deployment of soldiers at the border since then, and deadly border classes have occasionally flared up.

Sun, 11/15/2009
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

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POLITICS: Cambodia Raises Stakes, Ties with Thailand Plummet

By Marwaan Macan-Markar

BANGKOK, Nov 12 (IPS) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is known for his brash and earthy vocabulary even when, as he did in early April, he talks about himself. ”I am neither a gangster nor a gentleman, but a real man,” the politician who has led his country for 25 years said in a fit of rage.

The target of his ire at the time was Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, following comments the latter had made during a parliamentary debate in the Thai capital.

Hun Sen criticised Kasit for calling him a ”gangster” during that debate, but Kasit shot back, saying his description of Hun Sen in Thai had got lost in translation. The actual words were ”Nak Leng,” Kasit had explained, which in Thai means ”a person who is lion-hearted, a courageous and magnanimous gentleman.”

It was Kasit's second run-in with the Cambodian leader in under a year. In late 2008, when the former veteran Thai diplomat was in the political wilderness as a speaker for a conservative, right-wing protest movement, he had called Hun Sen a ”thug” during a speech at a public rally.

If the new Thai government, formed under a cloud of controversy last December, was hoping that Hun Sen would move on from such moments, then the current war of words between the two countries suggests otherwise.

”The Thais seem to have forgotten that Hun Sen has a very good memory. He does not forget easily,” a South-east Asian diplomat from a regional capital told IPS on the condition of anonymity. ”He unearths details and history he knows well to go after those who criticise him.”

But the current war of words between Cambodia and Thailand has degenerated into personal insults and a trading of charges about interfering into each country's judicial and domestic affairs.

Hun Sen raised the stakes this week in an increasingly volatile relationship between the two South-east Asian kingdoms by targeting his Thai counterpart, Abhisit Vejjajiva, in a verbal barrage.

”I would not be surprised if there was a link here with comments made by political allies of Abhisit,” the diplomat added. ”It is Hun Sen getting back.”

Besides words, Phnom Penh also rejected a request by Bangkok on Wednesday for the extradition of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who arrived in Cambodia on Tuesday to begin his new role as Hun Sen's economic advisor.

Thaksin, whose popular elected government was turfed out of power in a 2006 military coup, has been living in exile to avoid a two-year jail term after a Thai court found him guilty in a conflict-of-interest case.

To goad the Abhisit administration, Hun Sen welcomed Thaksin with warm hugs and handshakes, and offered his own villa in Phnom Penh for the fugitive former Thai premier to stay in.

Bangkok has not fallen for Phnom Penh's bait, for now. Even though it bristles at such hospitality and the verbal salvos fired by Hun Sen, the Thai government is trying to stay above the fray, offering statements that appear calm and diplomatic.

”The government is stressing that the problem between both countries is still a bilateral issue,” Thani Thongphakdi, Thai foreign ministry's deputy spokesman, told IPS. ”We want to see a positive sign from Cambodia that gives precedence to bilateral ties over personal relationships.”

Yet at the same time, the Thai government is taking a tougher line towards the range of ties it maintains with its eastern neighbour. ”We are reviewing existing agreements, existing cooperation and future cooperation between the two countries,” Thani revealed. ”Everything is on the table.”

Bangkok's unilateral actions against Cambodia has already seen the Thai ambassador in Phnom Penh withdrawn and Thailand revoking a memorandum of understanding between the two countries to explore oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand.

It followed Hun Sen's tongue-lashing that targeted Abhisit. ”People should know that when I was starting my political career, the Thai prime minister (Abhisit) was still a child running around, playing,” Hun Sen told Cambodian journalists on Sunday, the transcripts of which IPS has seen.

”If Abhisit is so sure of himself, then he should call an election. ‘What are you afraid of? Is it that you are afraid you will not be the prime minister?'” Hun Sen continued, driving home his current achievement as South-east Asia's longest-standing premier, as opposed to Abhisit, who has been in office for less than a year.

”I am prime minister of Cambodia who has received two-thirds of the vote in the Cambodian parliament. How many votes does Abhisit have? ‘You have chosen somebody else's chair to seat yourself in',” goaded Hun Sen, referring to the question of legitimacy that has dogged the Abhisit government. ”You claim other people's property as your own. How can we respect that?”

The 57-year-old Hun Sen has been Cambodia's premier for 25 years, a period where he has not shied from revealing his authoritarian streak, using a mix of violence, intrigue and verbal attacks to cling to power. His journey to power began on the economic and social fringes of the poorer Cambodia, including a short stint when still a teenager as a soldier for the genocidal Khmer Rouge in the later 1970s.

The 45-year-old Abhisit hails from the opposite end, being born into wealth, enjoying a British education and feeling at home among Thailand's patricians. He formed a coalition government after a controversial court ruling last December saw the collapse of the elected government, paving the way through a combination of military influence and cash enticements to broker a deal to secure a parliamentary vote than a win at a general election.

Hun Sen's penchant for dipping into his country's history to take on the Abhisit administration is also threatening to expose a darker side of Thailand's relationship with its poorer and weaker eastern neighbour.

To counter Bangkok's current charges that Phnom Penh is interfering in Thailand's internal politics and judicial system by rolling out the welcome mat for Thaksin, Hun Sen retorts by reminding the Thais about the hospitality they offered to Khmer Rouge leaders like Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea, now about to face justice in a United Nations war crimes tribunal.

”The Thai judiciary has not much value to be respected,” Hun Sen said during his weekend encounter with Cambodian journalists. ”Khmer Rouge leaders Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea were living in Thailand for years. This was a violation of international law that Thailand had signed.”

”Hun Sen is absolutely correct,” said Tom Fawthrop, co-author of ‘Getting away with Genocide? Elusive Justice and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal'. ”In fact after 1979, when the Khmer Rouge were driven out of Cambodia by Vietnam, (Khmer Rouge leader) Pol Pot and other leaders all fled to Thailand.”

”The Khmer Rouge's fight to regain power was aided by logistics and weapons that flowed through Thailand, even tanks,” Fawthrop, a regional expert who spends time in Phnom Penh, told IPS. ”The Thais violated the international law after the 1991 Paris peace accord by letting the Khmer Rouge operate along its border, which was not the case along the Vietnamese and Laotian borders.”

Hun Sen's current anti-Abhisit rhetoric may not be the isolated views of Cambodia's leader but may find resonance among its people, added Fawthrop. ”The Thai-Cambodian relationship has to be looked at in a historical context. The Cambodians feel a huge sense of grievance.”

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Thaksin slams Thai govt in Cambodia speech

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra attends a conference called "Cambodia and the world after the financial crisis" to give a lecture on economic matters to more than 300 Cambodian economics experts at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Phnom Penh November 12, 2009. REUTERS/Stringer

Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra accused his country's leaders of "false patriotism" as he delivered a lecture in his new role as Cambodia's economic adviser Thursday.

The billionaire, ousted in a 2006 coup and living abroad to avoid jail for graft, addressed some 300 members of business and government at Cambodia's finance ministry amid tensions over Phnom Penh's refusal to extradite him.

"I see a lot of synergy between your country and mine. What is good for you will also be good for my country. Of course not all my compatriots see it that way right now," Thaksin said.

"I do not believe those who do not share our vision right now are myopic. Their domestic political compulsions force them to false patriotism. Let's pray that they too will one day appreciate this partnership for the best," he added.

Security officials ushered reporters out of the room three minutes into the Thaksin lecture titled, "Cambodia and the World after the Financial Crisis".

Cambodia outraged Thailand on Wednesday by rejecting its request to extradite Thaksin, saying the charges on which the ousted Thai leader had been sentenced in absentia to two years in prison were politically motivated.

Cambodian Finance Minister Keat Chhon praised Thaksin's reduction of rural poverty and introduction of universal healthcare in Thailand as "eye-catching policies that distinguished him from his predecessors".

After his lecture Thaksin planned to visit the famed Angkor Wat temple and may play golf with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, said cabinet spokesman Phay Siphan.

He has been warmly received by close ally Hun Sen, although Cambodian officials have said he will only stay in the country for two or three days and is not intending to live there.

When Thai diplomats handed over papers for Thaksin's extradition on Wednesday, Cambodian officials promptly handed them back a formal refusal letter.

In Bangkok, around 120 protesters and 30 taxi drivers with their vehicles rallied outside the Cambodian embassy and delivered an open letter telling Hun Sen not to interfere in Thailand's judiciary, police said.

Dozens of police were deployed at the building.

Thailand and Cambodia recalled their ambassadors last week as the quarrel escalated. Bangkok also put all talks and cooperation programmes on hold and tore up an oil and gas exploration deal signed during Thaksin's time in power.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday condemned Cambodia's refusal to send Thaksin back, and said he had halted aid programmes for the neighbouring country, which is still impoverished after decades of war.

Tensions were already high between the two nations following a series of clashes over disputed territory near an ancient temple and the row threatens to mar a weekend summit of regional leaders with US President Barack Obama.

Twice-elected Thaksin fled Thailand in August 2008, a month before a court sentenced him to two years in jail in a conflict of interest case. He had returned to Thailand just months earlier for the first time since the coup.

But he has retained huge influence in Thai politics by stirring up protests against the current government, and analysts said that in his close friend Hun Sen he had found a new way of pushing his campaign for a return to power.

Thailand's government upped the pressure on Thaksin this week by accusing him of offending the revered monarchy after he was quoted by the website of British newspaper The Times as calling for reform of royal institutions.

Defaming the monarchy, led by 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is a crime punishable by up to 15 years in jail in Thailand. The king has been in hospital since September with a lung and chest infection.

12/11/09
AFP

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Thaksin accuses political opponents of 'false patriotism'

Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, left, addresses Cambodian economists as Cambodian Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon, right, looks on during a meetng Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Thaksin is in Cambodia after being named an economic adviser by Cambodian Prime Minster Hun Sen. (AP Photo/Khem Sovannara)

Phnom Penh - Thailand's fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said at a seminar in Phnom Penh Thursday that his domestic political opponents are suffering from "false patriotism" in their disagreements with Cambodia. Addressing a mix of 250 government officials and businesspeople at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Thaksin said a more prosperous Cambodia would mean opportunities for Thailand as well.

"A prosperous neighbour means better opportunities for us to grow together," he said, but added: "Of course, not all my compatriots see it that way right now."

"I do not believe those who do not share our vision now are myopic," he said. "Their domestic political compulsions force them to false patriotism. Let's pray that they too will one day appreciate this partnership for progress."

Thaksin was addressing the seminar in his capacity as economic adviser to the Cambodian government, an appointment that has riled Bangkok and led relations between the two kingdoms to their lowest point in years.

Both countries' ambassadors were recalled last week, and relations could yet worsen. The Bangkok Post newspaper reported that more than 100 lawmakers from the pro-Thaksin Puea Thai party plan to meet him in Phnom Penh Friday.

The newspaper quoted Puea Thai lawmaker Surapong Towichakchaikul as saying the visit was to show Thaksin their support.

Cambodian Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Koung said the ministry had no official knowledge of the visit and was looking into the report's veracity.

However, Koy Koung said if news of the visit were true, it should not be seen as Thaksin engaging in politics on Cambodian soil. Phnom Penh has repeatedly stated that Thaksin would stay away from politicking since it would conflict with Cambodia's constitution.

"If they really come, I think it's just a private courtesy call," Koy Koung said. "I guarantee that Thaksin has come to Phnom Penh just as an economic adviser. Not [for] politics. Not [for] anything else."

He said Phnom Penh was "absolutely not" concerned whether Bangkok read the situation differently.

"It's up to the Thai side because the Cambodian side has reiterated that the Thaksin role is an economic matter," he said.

Thaksin, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 before being toppled in a bloodless coup, faces a two-year jail sentence in Thailand for abuse of power. He has been living in self-imposed exile, mostly in Dubai, since August 2008.

On Wednesday Cambodia formally rejected an extradition request from the Thai government for Thaksin, describing the former premier's conviction in a Thai court as politically motivated.

Thaksin was overthrown after he lost the backing of Thailand's Bangkok-based middle class and political elite. He remains popular with the poor because of his populist economic policies.

12/11/09
DPA

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45 local red-shirt leaders cross border to meet Thaksin in Cambodia

A total of 45 local red-shirt leaders from Nakhon Ratchasima Wednesday crossed the border at a checkpoint in Si Sa Ket to meet fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Siem Reap.

Thaksin is scheduled to visit Siem Reap Thursday after giving a special lecture to some 300 Cambodian Finance Ministry officials.

The 45 red-shirt leaders crossed the border at 1 pm.

The Nation

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Thailand-Cambodia dispute: Key points

12/11/09
BBC

THAKSIN'S NEW ROLE

Cambodia has angered the Thai government by refusing to extradite Thaksin Shinawatra, who is in Cambodia after accepting a role as an economic adviser to the government there.

Cambodia said it rejected the extradition request because it viewed the charges against Mr Thaksin as being politically motivated.

Mr Thaksin was Thailand's prime minister for more than five years, but was ousted in a military coup in September 2006, accused of corruption and abuse of power.

He has been sentenced to two years in jail in absentia by a Thai court over a conflict of interest case.

Thailand has withdrawn its ambassador from Phnom Penh in protest at Cambodia's protection of Mr Thaksin.

The timing of the spat is particularly embarrassing for Thailand, as it comes just before Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is to chair a meeting between regional leaders and US President Barack Obama, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Singapore.

Some analysts say the Cambodian government of Prime Minister Hun Sen - a close friend of Mr Thaksin and his golf partner - would prefer to have Mr Thaksin back in power in Thailand and is trying to undermine the current Thai administration.

PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE

The Preah Vihear temple has been at the centre of a border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia for more than a century.

The temple was built mainly in the 11th and 12th centuries, when the Khmer empire was at its height. Its construction was ordered by the kings who commissioned Cambodia's most famous temple at Angkor.

Maps drawn by Cambodia's French colonial rulers and Thailand (or Siam as it was then known) showed the temple as belonging to Cambodia, but in later decades Thailand said the maps were not official and were therefore invalid.

In 1962 the International Court of Justice granted the temple to Cambodia, but Thailand claimed much of the surrounding land, leaving Cambodia's only access to the temple up a steep hillside.

But the territorial row with Thailand lingered on, and in 2001 Thai troops blocked access for more than a year in a dispute about polluted water at the site.

Tensions increased in July 2008, after Cambodia's successful bid to have the temple listed as a World Heritage site.

In April this year, troops from both sides exchanged fire across the disputed border. Thai authorities said at least two Thai soldiers died and seven were wounded.

MARITIME OIL AND GAS

After Cambodia appointed Mr Thaksin as an economic adviser last week, the Thai cabinet decided to cancel a memorandum of understanding on joint oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Thailand.

Both countries claim overlapping areas in the gulf, which are believed to be rich in gas and oil.

Thailand issued petroleum concessions in the area in the 1970s, although no work was carried out because of the disputed claims. Cambodia in turn awarded exploration deals in 1997 subject to the settling of the dispute.

Cambodia claims Thailand cannot now unilaterally revoke the memorandum of understanding, saying it is against international law.

OTHER ISSUES

Simmering resentment between Cambodia and Thailand goes back centuries - to well before the modern countries existed - when rival Siamese and Khmer kingdoms fought each other for territory and power.

European colonial expansion forced a sometimes arbitrary definition of borders, which in some areas continue to be disputed.

While bilateral trade has flourished with massive Thai investment in Cambodia, the relationship has remained uneasy.

Cambodian disenchantment with Thailand flared into violence in 2003 when a Thai actress - popular both at home and in Cambodia - allegedly said that the 900-year-old temple complex at Angkor belonged to Thailand and should be returned.

Suvanant Kongying denied making the remarks, but the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh was badly damaged by rioters.

One person was killed and several injured in the riots and many Thai businesses were also destroyed.

Cambodians see Angkor Wat as a vital part of their identity but over the centuries there have been times when the temple complex has been occupied by Thai forces.

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