Kasit talking to reporters.Reported by Khmerization
Senior Cambodian government officials have accused Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya of continuing to cause insecurity in Cambodia by repeatedly accusing Cambodia of harbouring fugitive ex-Thai prime minister, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, reports Deum Ampil newspaper.
The Nation newspaper quoting Mr. Kasit as warning Cambodia that it risked damaging bilateral relations with Thailand for allowing Mr. Thaksin to use Cambodia as his staging post for a political comeback.
The Nation quoted Mr. Kasit as saying "If Cambodia loves Mr. Thaksin more than Thailand, bilateral relations between the two countries will be affected."
Senior Cambodian officials accused Mr. Kasit of making a political statement to stir up insecurity and turmoil in Cambodia.
Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said: "I have read the report and this is always Mr. Kasit's position which is always in a very panic fashion. As a statesman and a representative of the Thai people, he should not acknowledge and take rumours as an official information to attack Cambodia."
Mr. Phay Siphan added: "Mr. Kasit's allegations is an insult and a threat to Cambodia's national security. I wish to totally dismiss Mr. Kasit's allegations that Mr. Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia."
Mr. Phay Siphan added that Cambodia respects international laws. He said that Cambodia will continue to dismiss the reports regarding the presence of Mr. Thaksin in Cambodia and that Cambodia also requests Thailand not order the Cambodian government how to run its country. He said: "The Cambodian government respects international laws in relations to extradition treaties, so we request that Thailand not order the Cambodian government to do what is contrary to the national and international laws and Cambodia will continue to dismiss this baseless information (that Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia)."
Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, told Deum Ampil in a similar tone. He said: "I have received the report and in my capacity as the spokesman as well as a senior member of the government, I can say that Cambodia categorically dismisses the accusations that Mr. Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia. The Foreign Ministry had already informed the Thai government, through Cambodian embassy in Bangkok, but up until now we have not received a response from the Bangkok government yet."
Mr. Koy Kuong added: "If Mr. Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia, Cambodia will issue a public statement immediately. On this issue I am wondering why Mr. Kasit has raised again and again this baseless information regarding the presence of Mr. Thaksin in Cambodia."
Last week there were rumours that Mr. Thaksin was flown by a helicopter to Mr. Hun Sen's residence at Tuol Krasaing. Cambodian officials alleged that the rumours had originated from Mr. Thepthai Senapong, the spokesman for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
The Thai accusations that the fugitive Mr. Thaksin, who is a good personal friend of Prime Minister Hun Sen, is hiding in Cambodia happened at the same time as when Cambodian and Thai troops engaged in deadly clashes along the borders near Preah Vihear temple on 3rd April, 2009.
Senior Cambodian government officials have accused Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya of continuing to cause insecurity in Cambodia by repeatedly accusing Cambodia of harbouring fugitive ex-Thai prime minister, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, reports Deum Ampil newspaper.
The Nation newspaper quoting Mr. Kasit as warning Cambodia that it risked damaging bilateral relations with Thailand for allowing Mr. Thaksin to use Cambodia as his staging post for a political comeback.
The Nation quoted Mr. Kasit as saying "If Cambodia loves Mr. Thaksin more than Thailand, bilateral relations between the two countries will be affected."
Senior Cambodian officials accused Mr. Kasit of making a political statement to stir up insecurity and turmoil in Cambodia.
Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said: "I have read the report and this is always Mr. Kasit's position which is always in a very panic fashion. As a statesman and a representative of the Thai people, he should not acknowledge and take rumours as an official information to attack Cambodia."
Mr. Phay Siphan added: "Mr. Kasit's allegations is an insult and a threat to Cambodia's national security. I wish to totally dismiss Mr. Kasit's allegations that Mr. Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia."
Mr. Phay Siphan added that Cambodia respects international laws. He said that Cambodia will continue to dismiss the reports regarding the presence of Mr. Thaksin in Cambodia and that Cambodia also requests Thailand not order the Cambodian government how to run its country. He said: "The Cambodian government respects international laws in relations to extradition treaties, so we request that Thailand not order the Cambodian government to do what is contrary to the national and international laws and Cambodia will continue to dismiss this baseless information (that Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia)."
Mr. Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Cambodian Foreign Ministry, told Deum Ampil in a similar tone. He said: "I have received the report and in my capacity as the spokesman as well as a senior member of the government, I can say that Cambodia categorically dismisses the accusations that Mr. Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia. The Foreign Ministry had already informed the Thai government, through Cambodian embassy in Bangkok, but up until now we have not received a response from the Bangkok government yet."
Mr. Koy Kuong added: "If Mr. Thaksin is hiding in Cambodia, Cambodia will issue a public statement immediately. On this issue I am wondering why Mr. Kasit has raised again and again this baseless information regarding the presence of Mr. Thaksin in Cambodia."
Last week there were rumours that Mr. Thaksin was flown by a helicopter to Mr. Hun Sen's residence at Tuol Krasaing. Cambodian officials alleged that the rumours had originated from Mr. Thepthai Senapong, the spokesman for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
The Thai accusations that the fugitive Mr. Thaksin, who is a good personal friend of Prime Minister Hun Sen, is hiding in Cambodia happened at the same time as when Cambodian and Thai troops engaged in deadly clashes along the borders near Preah Vihear temple on 3rd April, 2009.
2 comments:
Is Kasit trying to provoke Hun Sen into a diplomatic war of words again, similar to the one about him calling Hun Sen "a gangster" that provoked the deadly clashes last week?
Thailand, especially Kasit, should not accuse Cambodia of harboring Thaksin without any concrete evidence at all.
Yeah, Thailand is trying to provoke diplomatic and border problems with Cambodia so it can divert attention from its internal turmoil and domestic crisis.
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