- Source: Global Times
- November 23 2009
By Ren Jianmin in Bangkok
A demonstrator from Thailand's royalist "Yellow Shirt" movement holds a sign showing former premier Thaksin Shinawatra (left) hugging Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (right) during a rally in Bangkok on November 15. Thousands of royalist demonstrators protested in Bangkok against a visit to Cambodia by their arch-foe: fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The group said it had called the rally to express outrage at the neighboring country's appointment of Thaksin as an economic adviser and Phnom Penh's refusal to extradite him during his four-day trip there this week. Photo: AFP
Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister toppled in a bloodless coup in 2006 and who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, has become the trigger of heightened tensions in bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
Diplomatic upheavals
Arriving in Cambodia on November 10, Thaksin received a warm welcome in Phnom Penh, despite recalls of both countries' ambassadors caused by Cambodia's announcement five days earlier of his appointment as economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Thai employees in the Cambodia Air Traffic Control Service were also ousted in the tit-for-tat confrontation. On November 13, Thai national Sivarak Chutipong was arrested on suspicion of stealing Thaksin's flight schedule. Six days later, other high-level officials in the company were fired.
Origins of the upheaval
In demonstrating friendship and compassion toward Thaksin, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen could have invited Thaksin stealthily, with a lower profile. But there are three reasons behind his actions:
Hun Sen bears a grudge against Thai governmental officials.
The Preah Vihear Temple region has long been a disputed area, claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia. After helping Cambodia apply for World Heritage Site status for the temple, the Thai government then claimed sovereignty over the area, a drastic change of foreign policy.
In addition to the territorial dispute, Hun Sen's grudge was also stirred up by the insulting words that Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya threw at him, labeling him a "hooligan" and "mobster."
The Thai government also gave the green light to Hun Sen's adversary, Sam Rainsy, by offering him an opportunity to rebuke Hun Sen.
Other experiences also contribute to Hun Sen's contempt for Abhisit.
In Cambodia, there is a popular saying, "the king is not familiar to everybody, while everybody is familiar with Hun Sen." Having played on many battlefields, Hun Sen built up his social status from scratch, staying firm in the prime minister's position for 25 years. Thailand, in contrast, saw five different prime ministers in just three years, from Thaksin to Abhisit.
"I am the Prime Minister of Cambodia, who has received two-thirds of the vote in the Cambodian parliament. How many does Than Abhisit have? You've stolen somebody else's chair to seat yourself in. You claim other people's property as your own. How can we respect that?" Hun Sen's contemptuous remarks are not surprising.
Secondly, the close cooperation between Hun Sen and Thaksin, in both the spheres of country and family enterprise, also contribute to the contempt.
After Thaksin took the office of prime minister of Thailand, the cooperation between the two countries intensified, of which the most significant factor was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on overlapping maritime boundaries in the Gulf, covering 26,000 square kilometers, in 2001.
The MOU's signing was seen by Thaksin's rivals in Thailand as benefiting Thaksin's family enterprises by taking advantage of the country's resources.
Among the projects of cooperation between Thaksin and Hun Sen, the one attracting the most attention is the Koh Kong Island project, for which Thaksin has already granted a large-scale investment license lasting 99 years, according to a report in The Nation newspaper on November 13.
Thirdly, Hun Sen has his own considerations.
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has called the argument between Thaksin and Abhisit a "political game" aimed at turning Cambodian public attention to the west, in the direction of Thailand, while ignoring the east, toward Vietnam.
Installed by Vietnam as premier in 1985, Hun Sen has been constantly criticized as a "puppet" of Vietnam, who consistently undermines national interests to maintain close ties to Hanoi.
Antagonism among Cambodians – over inward migration and alleged land grabbing – is much greater toward Vietnam than toward Thailand.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Hun Sen is trying to show that he is the defender of the national interests of Cambodia and that Thailand is the real enemy of Cambodia and not Vietnam," the Asia Times quoted United States-based Cambodian economist Naranhkiri Tith, as saying.
Thaksin's political comeback
Hun Sen said Thailand paid no attention to other countries that received Thaksin after he was ousted in September 2006. When the same thing happened in Cambodia, Thailand exploded with rage.
It is not difficult to understand, however, since Cambodia is so close to Thailand.
Thaksin's ambition of a political comeback has never stopped since he was ousted.
In April, Thaksin moved his battle from parliament to the streets, with his "Red-Shirt" army. The ASEAN Summit, originally scheduled for April 10-12 in the Thai resort Pattay, was abruptly canceled April 11 due to the disturbances of a flock of red-shirted protesters.
Thaksin's street fighting sunk to a low ebb after Thai soldiers cracked down on anti-government protests.
The ailing Thai king gave Thaksin a new hope, with the latter speaking of a "shining" new age after the era of the king, Britain's The Times reported November 9. Thailand's revered 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej has not been fully recovered since September.
Thaksin is careful to emphasize his deep loyalty to King Bhumibol but is deeply critical of the "palace," principally, members of the Privy Council. He blames them for controlling the king and interfering in politics for private concerns.
Prince Vajiralongkorn is the king's designated heir.
"The crown prince may not be as popular as his majesty the king," Thaksin told The Times. "However, ... he has been educated abroad and he's young – I think he understands the modern world."
Thaksin's "Red Shirt" army declared they would launch a 1-million-people parade before the king's 82nd birthday, which falls on December 5, demanding the resignation of the government and a new election. Thaksin is "plotting a new round of attacks on Abhisit's Democrat coalition government," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Thai political scientist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "He is retaking what he has lost."
This article was translated by Wu Fan and Sun Wei
Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister toppled in a bloodless coup in 2006 and who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, has become the trigger of heightened tensions in bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
Diplomatic upheavals
Arriving in Cambodia on November 10, Thaksin received a warm welcome in Phnom Penh, despite recalls of both countries' ambassadors caused by Cambodia's announcement five days earlier of his appointment as economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Thai employees in the Cambodia Air Traffic Control Service were also ousted in the tit-for-tat confrontation. On November 13, Thai national Sivarak Chutipong was arrested on suspicion of stealing Thaksin's flight schedule. Six days later, other high-level officials in the company were fired.
Origins of the upheaval
In demonstrating friendship and compassion toward Thaksin, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen could have invited Thaksin stealthily, with a lower profile. But there are three reasons behind his actions:
Hun Sen bears a grudge against Thai governmental officials.
The Preah Vihear Temple region has long been a disputed area, claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia. After helping Cambodia apply for World Heritage Site status for the temple, the Thai government then claimed sovereignty over the area, a drastic change of foreign policy.
In addition to the territorial dispute, Hun Sen's grudge was also stirred up by the insulting words that Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya threw at him, labeling him a "hooligan" and "mobster."
The Thai government also gave the green light to Hun Sen's adversary, Sam Rainsy, by offering him an opportunity to rebuke Hun Sen.
Other experiences also contribute to Hun Sen's contempt for Abhisit.
In Cambodia, there is a popular saying, "the king is not familiar to everybody, while everybody is familiar with Hun Sen." Having played on many battlefields, Hun Sen built up his social status from scratch, staying firm in the prime minister's position for 25 years. Thailand, in contrast, saw five different prime ministers in just three years, from Thaksin to Abhisit.
"I am the Prime Minister of Cambodia, who has received two-thirds of the vote in the Cambodian parliament. How many does Than Abhisit have? You've stolen somebody else's chair to seat yourself in. You claim other people's property as your own. How can we respect that?" Hun Sen's contemptuous remarks are not surprising.
Secondly, the close cooperation between Hun Sen and Thaksin, in both the spheres of country and family enterprise, also contribute to the contempt.
After Thaksin took the office of prime minister of Thailand, the cooperation between the two countries intensified, of which the most significant factor was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on overlapping maritime boundaries in the Gulf, covering 26,000 square kilometers, in 2001.
The MOU's signing was seen by Thaksin's rivals in Thailand as benefiting Thaksin's family enterprises by taking advantage of the country's resources.
Among the projects of cooperation between Thaksin and Hun Sen, the one attracting the most attention is the Koh Kong Island project, for which Thaksin has already granted a large-scale investment license lasting 99 years, according to a report in The Nation newspaper on November 13.
Thirdly, Hun Sen has his own considerations.
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has called the argument between Thaksin and Abhisit a "political game" aimed at turning Cambodian public attention to the west, in the direction of Thailand, while ignoring the east, toward Vietnam.
Installed by Vietnam as premier in 1985, Hun Sen has been constantly criticized as a "puppet" of Vietnam, who consistently undermines national interests to maintain close ties to Hanoi.
Antagonism among Cambodians – over inward migration and alleged land grabbing – is much greater toward Vietnam than toward Thailand.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Hun Sen is trying to show that he is the defender of the national interests of Cambodia and that Thailand is the real enemy of Cambodia and not Vietnam," the Asia Times quoted United States-based Cambodian economist Naranhkiri Tith, as saying.
Thaksin's political comeback
Hun Sen said Thailand paid no attention to other countries that received Thaksin after he was ousted in September 2006. When the same thing happened in Cambodia, Thailand exploded with rage.
It is not difficult to understand, however, since Cambodia is so close to Thailand.
Thaksin's ambition of a political comeback has never stopped since he was ousted.
In April, Thaksin moved his battle from parliament to the streets, with his "Red-Shirt" army. The ASEAN Summit, originally scheduled for April 10-12 in the Thai resort Pattay, was abruptly canceled April 11 due to the disturbances of a flock of red-shirted protesters.
Thaksin's street fighting sunk to a low ebb after Thai soldiers cracked down on anti-government protests.
The ailing Thai king gave Thaksin a new hope, with the latter speaking of a "shining" new age after the era of the king, Britain's The Times reported November 9. Thailand's revered 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej has not been fully recovered since September.
Thaksin is careful to emphasize his deep loyalty to King Bhumibol but is deeply critical of the "palace," principally, members of the Privy Council. He blames them for controlling the king and interfering in politics for private concerns.
Prince Vajiralongkorn is the king's designated heir.
"The crown prince may not be as popular as his majesty the king," Thaksin told The Times. "However, ... he has been educated abroad and he's young – I think he understands the modern world."
Thaksin's "Red Shirt" army declared they would launch a 1-million-people parade before the king's 82nd birthday, which falls on December 5, demanding the resignation of the government and a new election. Thaksin is "plotting a new round of attacks on Abhisit's Democrat coalition government," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Thai political scientist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "He is retaking what he has lost."
This article was translated by Wu Fan and Sun Wei
1 comment:
Yeah, Shut ta fuck up ah kwack hun sen
Post a Comment