A Change of Guard

សូមស្តាប់វិទ្យុសង្គ្រោះជាតិ Please read more Khmer news and listen to CNRP Radio at National Rescue Party. សូមស្តាប់វីទ្យុខ្មែរប៉ុស្តិ៍/Khmer Post Radio.
Follow Khmerization on Facebook/តាមដានខ្មែរូបនីយកម្មតាម Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khmerization.khmerican

Friday, 3 April 2009

I didn't mean it: Kasit

Kasit Piromya (left) said that comments that he made about Mr Hun Sen in a parliamentary debate had been incorrectly translated. -- PHOTO: AFP

BANGKOK -(Straits Times) THAILAND'S foreign minister has apologised for a 'misunderstanding' after being accused by Cambodian premier Hun Sen of calling him a gangster, officials said on Thursday.

Cambodian officials released a scanned copy of a letter from Kasit Piromya, the Thai minister, saying that comments that he made about Mr Hun Sen in a parliamentary debate had been incorrectly translated.

A furious Mr Hun Sen blasted Mr Kasit on Tuesday as he made a speech on tensions between the two countries, saying that the top Thai diplomat had insulted him and adding: 'He has called me a gangster.'

Mr Kasit's letter, dated April 1, said that 'Nak Laeng' - the Thai word he used to refer to Hun Sen - 'means a person who is lionhearted, a courageous and magnanimous gentleman'.

'Do kindly accept my deep apology for such an unfortunate incident and the unintentional cause of misunderstanding,' the letter continued.

A Thai foreign ministry confirmed that Mr Kasit had sent a letter to Mr Hun Sen.

A leading Thai dictionary shows that the word 'Nak Laeng' can have both of the meanings implied by Mr Hun Sen and Mr Kasit.

Mr Hun Sen launched the broadside against Mr Kasit shortly after warning Thailand to be prepared to fight if its troops crossed the disputed border between the two countries, where a deadly gunbattle erupted last year.

A Thai soldier lost a leg in a mine blast in the disputed region on Thursday. -- AFP

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

A smiling face could make people
happiness .

A bad words could make people feeling sadness .

A really good friend seem as
a healthy food .

Anonymous said...

whether Kasit means it or not, the damage has been done. Kasit's choice of words reflect on his character and his diplomatic inexperience.