Cambodia, Thailand recall ambassadors over Thaksin row
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Cambodia and Thailand have recalled their ambassadors from each other's country in a row over Cambodia naming ousted former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as a government adviser.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Council of Ministers Sok An announced on Thursday evening at a press conference that his government decided to call back its envoy in a reciprocal action.
Thailand recalled its ambassador Thursday afternoon, saying it considered the appointment of Thaksin to be interference in its internal affairs. It also said it would review all of its agreements with Cambodia.
Thailand Ambassador to Cambodia Prasas Prasavinitchai left here on Thursday night, and Cambodia's Ambassador to Thailand You Ay will return home on Friday, Sok An said at the press conference.
"The move we took is a respond to Thai's recall of its Ambassador to Cambodia," Sok An said, adding that "we appointed Thaksin as our government's adviser is Cambodia's internal affairs and conforms to international practice."
Sok An said that it was withdrawing its envoy from Bangkok as a "temporary measure" until Thailand sent its envoy back to Phnom Penh.
Meanwhile, Sok An said the recalls between the two countries would not affect trade or raise tensions along the border.
At the same time, Royal Combodian Armed Forces (RCAF)'s Deputy Commander-in-Chief Chea Dara, who heads RCAF operations at Preah Vihear area, said on Thursday that the situation was calm on the border but the military will remain on high alert around the disputed temple, where the two countries last fought in April, to defense "our every inch of territory."
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is now in Japan to attend the first Mekong-Japan Summit from Nov. 6 to 7, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.
The Cambodian government announced on Wednesday that former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was officially appointed as adviser of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Royal Government of Cambodia by King Norodom Sihamoni. Moreover, the Cambodian government will not allow to extradite the ex-Thai premier.
Also, the Thai government said that it is ready to demand of revising bilateral agreements, which have been agreed by the two countries, Thai News Agency reported.
The Thai government's movement is based on diplomatic principle, which does not intend to any violence to occur between the two neighboring countries, the report said.
Ties between Cambodia and Thailand have been difficult since July 2008 amid an ongoing border conflict over land surrounding an 11th century temple, which has claimed several lives. The withdrawal of ambassadors was the most severe diplomatic actions thus far in ongoing tensions between the two countries which will only result in a further worsening of the relations between them.
Thaksin was ousted by the military coup in September 2006, in accusation of corruption, and has been kept 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.
