Cambodia, Thailand veer closer to collision course

[CrazyExpat]

The armies of Cambodia and Thailand declared last week that they have no intention of fighting a war with each other. That's the good news.

The bad news is that the escalating dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours has become so dangerous that such a statement was required. The past 12 months have seen ambassadors expelled, trade disrupted, accusations of espionage and a series of deadly border clashes around an ancient temple in a contested frontier area.

Tensions have risen dramatically in the past two weeks after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen waded into Thailand's internal political battle by inviting Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand's fugitive former prime minister, to visit Cambodia and gave him a job as a government adviser.

Mr. Hun Sen could scarcely have made a more provocative gesture. Mr. Thaksin, who was ousted from office in a 2006 military coup and is wanted on corruption charges, called his supporters into the streets earlier this year in an effort to topple the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The uprising was quelled by the military after street fighting between pro-Thaksin and pro-government groups left two people dead and more than 100 injured.

Though Mr. Thaksin has since left Cambodia to resume his exile in Dubai, Thailand responded to his appointment by recalling its ambassador to Phnom Penh, a move Cambodia quickly matched. Shortly afterwards, Cambodian police seized the offices of the Thai company that handles air-traffic control at Phnom Penh airport. The company's Thai employees were locked out and replaced with Cambodian staff, and one Thai national was charged with espionage for allegedly passing on the details of Mr. Thaksin's flights to the Thai embassy.

In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan poured more kerosene on the fire, calling Thailand a failed state and comparing Mr. Abhisit to Benito Mussolini.

"Thailand has initiated everything. We have just responded to their decisions," Mr. Phay said, speaking shortly after the Thai and Cambodian defence ministers emerged from a meeting to pledge that they wouldn't allow the political battle between the two governments to degenerate into a shooting war.

In a sign the dispute may nonetheless continue to worsen, an aide handed Mr. Phay a memo during the interview informing him Thailand had withdrawn from an aid project to upgrade a highway used by tourists travelling between the two countries. "We don't care. We can find other money to finance this project. We don't need money from Thailand," Mr. Phay steamed after reading it.

The root of much of the trouble is a long-standing argument over ownership of the 11th-century Preah Vihear temple, a popular tourist destination near the border that the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 to be on Cambodian soil but which Thailand still claims. The dispute was resurrected last year when Cambodia succeeded, at a meeting held in Quebec City, in getting Preah Vihear named to the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. Since then, the Thai army has regularly moved its soldiers into the area to assert its claim, drawing occasional Cambodian fire.

In April, at least two Thai soldiers were killed in a prolonged exchange of fire in the area that saw the two sides use machine guns and rocket launchers.

The economic impacts of the dispute have been far-reaching. Trade between the two neighbours has declined sharply and construction has been delayed on a rail line that was to link the two countries as part of a planned regional rail network running from Singapore to southern China via Malaysia, Laos and Vietnam.

But analysts say the dispute may be helping both Mr. Abhisit and Mr. Hun Sen politically. Mr. Abhisit's popularity ratings have received a boost since taking a hard line toward Cambodia, while Mr. Hun Sen is seen as benefiting from having the Preah Vihear dispute on the front pages of newspapers instead of the global recession and the layoffs and factory closings that have hit this already poor country's garment industry.

The future of Thai-Cambodian relations may now depend on how the political struggle in Bangkok plays out. In effect, Mr. Hun Sen is betting that Mr. Thaksin, who is still widely popular among the country's rural poor, or one of his allies will return to office after elections that are expected some time next year.

"As long as [Mr. Abhisit's] Democrat Party remains in power, bilateral relations will be tense and bumpy. If Thaksin's supporters regain power, relations are likely to be more workable," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Thai political analyst. "Hun Sen has placed his bet and played his Thaksin card. Whether it pays off will depend on how Thai politics pans out."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/cambodia-thailand-veer-closer-to-collision-course/article1388189/

[Wino]

More bad news between these two neighbours. A court in Cambodia has convicted a Thai national for syping. The offense was a report of Thaskin's flight schedule. More tension between the two nations.

By SOPHENG CHEANG, Associated Press PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – A Thai man was ordered to serve seven years in prison for spying on Thailand's former prime minister while he was in Cambodia as a guest of the government, a case that threatens to worsen a diplomatic feud between the two neighbors.

The trial in the capital of Phnom Penh follows Cambodia's decision last month to name former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra its special economic adviser. The appointment and Thaksin's subsequent visit to Cambodia angered the government in Bangkok and resulted in a recall of ambassadors from both sides.

Thai national Siwarak Chothipong, an employee of the Cambodia Air Traffic Service, which manages flights in the country, was accused of stealing Thaksin's flight schedule before his Nov. 10 arrival and sending it to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh. Thaksin stayed five days, getting red-carpet treatment as he talked to Cambodian economists.

Siwarak, 31, was arrested Nov. 12 and charged with stealing information that could impact national security.

Municipal Court Judge Ke Sakhan ruled that Thaksin's flight information was confidential and sharing it was a breach of security protocol for dignitaries.

"Thaksin is an adviser to Cambodia's government and Cambodia has the obligation to provide him security," the judge said. He ordered Siwarak to pay a 10 million riel ($2,500) fine and serve seven years in prison, the lowest possible for the spying charge, which carries a penalty of seven to 15 years behind bars.

Siwarak acknowledged earlier in court that he saw the flight schedule and passed the details on to Thai embassy First Secretary Kamrob Palawatwichai who was later expelled from the country. But he denied stealing the document.

"I took a look at the flight schedule and made a phone call to Kamrob about the flight schedule," Siwarak told the court. "But I didn't get a copy of the flight schedule and hand it over to anyone."

Two other employees from the Cambodia Air Traffic Service testified that Siwarak asked them about the flight schedule.

Thaksin went into self-imposed exile last year before a Thai court found him guilty of violating a conflict of interest law and sentenced him to two years in prison. He had served as prime minister from 2001 to 2006, when he was ousted in a military coup after being accused of corruption and showing disrespect to the monarchy.

Thaksin's supporters and opponents have repeatedly taken to the streets since then to spar over who has the right to rule the country, sometimes sparking violence.

Thaksin's visit to Cambodia led to allegations he was trying to ignite a new political crisis from across the border.

Critics, including Thailand's government, have portrayed Thaksin as a traitor for accepting the Cambodian appointment and have lambasted Cambodia for hosting him while he is a fugitive. Relations have already been roiled by several deadly skirmishes over the past year and a half over land surrounding the ancient Preah Vihear temple.

http://news.yahoo.co...mbodia_thailand

[Beer Chang]

Lot of posturing but i don't see a war coming.

[Wino]

Let's hope there is no war coming. Posturing sometimes leads to war. I hope this is not the case.

[Wino]

I think the King of Cambodia did the wise thing and pardoned the Thai convicted of spying.

by Patrick Falby Patrick Falby

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni Friday pardoned a Thai man jailed for seven years for spying on fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra during a visit to Phnom Penh, the government said.

Siwarak Chothipong, 31, an employee at the Cambodia Air Traffic Service, will be released from prison Monday to his family and a delegation from Thailand's main opposition party, a Cambodian government spokesman said.

His arrest last month deepened a diplomatic crisis over Cambodia's appointment of Thaksin as an economic adviser and its refusal to extradite the ousted leader to Thailand when he travelled to Phnom Penh last month.

"The king just signed it this morning," Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP, adding that the royal pardon was issued after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen requested it Thursday.

"This morning Hun Sen said that if the man wants to continue working in Cambodia, he is welcome," he added.

Siwarak, who faced a maximum prison term of 15 years, was sentenced to jail by a court in Phnom Penh on Tuesday and also fined 10 million riel (2,500 dollars) for supplying Thaksin's flight schedule to the Thai embassy.

He denied stealing any documents and told the court that although he had informed the Thai embassy's first secretary by telephone of a flight arrival, he had not been aware that Thaksin was on board.

Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters the pardon was a "good sign" for relations between the two sides.

"I have received an initial report of a royal pardon, which was an internal matter for Cambodia, but the Thai government congratulates Siwarak's family," said Panitan.

"The pardon is a good sign as Thai people have been very focused on this case and it could ease bilateral relations with Cambodia," he added.

Thai diplomats and the defendant's mother, seen crying in court, had attended Siwarak's trial.

Cambodia expelled the first secretary of Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh after alleging that Siwarak had passed information to the diplomat. Thailand retaliated in kind hours later.

Both countries earlier also withdrew their respective ambassadors in the dispute over Thaksin's appointment.

Thaksin was toppled in a coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption, but has continued to stir up protests in his homeland.

Angered by his presence in Cambodia, Thailand put all talks and cooperation programmes on hold and tore up an oil and gas exploration deal signed during Thaksin's time in power.

Tensions were already high between Cambodia and Thailand following a series of deadly military clashes over disputed territory near an 11th century temple on the two countries' border.

Thaksin rallied around 17,000 so-called "Red Shirt" supporters in Bangkok on Thursday, criticising Thailand's "weakened democracy" in a video speech from an unknown location.

It was the latest in a series of protests against current Thai leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who took office a year ago after protests by rival "Yellow Shirts" drove Thaksin's allies from power.

Abhisit earlier this week hosted Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in Bangkok and Thailand's insurgency-hit south, in an apparent bid to keep Thailand's biggest neighbour on side.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091211/wl_asia_afp/cambodiathailandspyaviationcourt

[Beer Chang]

I think the King of Cambodia did the wise thing and pardoned the Thai convicted of spying.

Agreed.

[Wino]

I didn't realize the Cambodian King had the power to pardon a prisoner. Does he have the same love and respect of the Cambodian people as his Thai counterpart?

[Wino]

Looks like Thaskin is back in Cambodia again. The Thai government says they are going to file extradition papers again. More of the same.

BANGKOK: Fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced on Saturday on his online Twitter page that he will make a week-long trip to visit three Asian countries.

His visit to Cambodia last month, to take up an economic advisory role with the government, caused a diplomatic row after Cambodian premier Hun Sen refused to extradite Thaksin to Thailand to serve a two-year jail term for graft.

"I have asked permission to visit and exchange views with three leaders in Asia for seven to eight days," Thaksin said on his Twitter page, giving no further details.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday responded to rumours that Thaksin was planning a return to neighbouring Cambodia and said the government would probably submit another extradition request if he did so.

"If he enters our airspace, we will try to arrest him because he is facing a jail term. We are likely to request for his extradition once again," Abhisit told reporters.

On Friday, Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni pardoned Thai national Siwarak Chothipong, who had been sentenced to seven years in prison for spying on Thaksin during his visit to Phnom Penh.

The 31-year-old employee at the Cambodia Air Traffic Service will be released from prison on Monday, following his conviction last Tuesday for supplying Thaksin's flight schedule to the Thai embassy.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1024323/1/.html