Thaksin to visit
November 9, 2009
Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Phnom Penh this week in his new role as economics adviser, the Cambodian PM said Sunday, further stoking a row with Thailand.
“Thaksin will be at the Ministry of Economy and Finance on November 12 to do a briefing with more than 300 Cambodian economics experts,” Hun Sen told a news conference at Phnom Penh International Airport.
Thaksin has politely declined the prime minister’s previous two offers — the first of a home, the second of an adviser role — and there is little reason to think that PM’s latest pronouncement is anything more than a wind up.
UPDATE: Or not!
November 9, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Little tiny Cambodia has been whip-sawed for hundreds of years. Hun Sen wants to put an end to that. Hun Sen wants to be on the world stage on it’s own two feet.
The best I can guess is Hun Sen believes the current Thai administration will fail and what remains later will serve him better than what exists today.
November 10, 2009 at 11:23 am
There is no doubt that Prime Minister Abhisit’s government is significantly overreacting. This is certainly playing into Prime Minister Hun Sen’s hands. In spite of Thailand receiving military and economic support from the U. S. Thailand did not change their behavior nor learn anything from the U. S. instead they behave like big crybabies.
When President Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, insulted the U. S by calling President George W. Bush ‘the Devil’, America did not over-react by taking action, such bringing home their ambassador. When Chavez called America the “evil empire”, while traveling in Cuba, America pretty much brushed that off as well. Today, Chavez knows that since that kind of tactic did not work in the past, he pretty much has shut up. America is a grown up nation, not like Thailand which is whining and jumping every time Prime Minister Hun Sen says something.
So what if ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra comes to Cambodia! I do not think he can do anything. Thaksin has no military powers or political powers in Cambodia. I do not believe he can stage any attack from Cambodia effectively and I do not believe that Thaksin in Cambodia would undermine Thailand’s judicial system. Thailand’s judicial system is only good within the boundaries of the Kingdom of Thailand, not in Cambodia or any other countries.
November 10, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Wind up? Here’s here already!
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gAD5NteMl_ebA_uQtcgcw_86Pq8w
POV is on the ball. The Iron Man may be utterly amoral but he is not stupid. He’s been playing this Machiavellian game since he was in short pants. Never underestimate his cunning.
November 10, 2009 at 5:35 pm
POV , Thaksin represents the legal government for a majority of thais ( albeit rural, poor and no political clout) and that is what makes Abhisit s___ in his pants. The teeming mass is dangerous. It cannot be controlled if unleashed intelligently by Thaksin.
If anything should happen to the thai king today, then its civil war and war with cambodia. If push comes to shove , if thaksin calls for an uprising , then the situation could spin out of control.
But Thaksin can advise Hun Sen how far they can play their hands, that is the key. He knows how far he can go, he know his opponents.
For Hun Sen, don’t your personal grievances and enemities takes precedance over the well being of cambodia.
No one wins in a war.
November 11, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I just can’t smell war in the air. Thailand might cry about ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visits Cambodia but they’re not going to start shooting because of this incident. I don’t believe that Cambodia is thirsty for war either. They only want to protect Preah Vihear Temple and their right of ownership of the surrounding land. There may be clashes here and there and that’ll be all.
I am not going to predict a civil war in Thailand. I don’t believe it will happen, despite all odds between the Thai people-Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts.