Thaksin (R) and Hun Sen.By The Nation
Published on February 6, 2010
Despite former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denying that he had accompanied Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on a visit to disputed border areas this weekend, anxiety is looming in Thailand over its implications for the domestic political situation.
Thaksin said in his Twitter message that he is still in Dubai and would not accompany Hun Sen to visit the disputed areas near Preah Vihear Temple. He blasted Veera Somkwamkid, the leader of the nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who had floated the news earlier.
"Don't you stop lying? I'm in Dubai which is seven hours from Cambodia by flight. How can you imagine I would go there, nonsense," he said.
Veera said he would take his PAD followers to protest against Hun Sen at Preah Vihear as the visit might violate Thai sovereignty over the territory. He said Hun Sen's visit with Thaksin would mount tensions in Thailand's politics as the court would issue a verdict in Thaksin's assets case later this month.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsubhan urged Veera not to make the problem more complicated. He said the government and concerned officials should be allowed to handle the situation.
Veera led the PAD to clash with local residents in Si Sa Ket's Kanthalalak district twice in 2008 and 2009 in protest against Preah Vihear's inscription as a World Heritage Site, which disturbed local people.
Suthep said Hun Sen's visit would not create any tensions in the border areas as the two countries have a protocol for welcoming each other on border visits. The government has assigned Si Sa Ket provincial governor and commander of Second Army Region to welcome the Cambodian prime minister.
Cambodia also follows the same protocol and assigned senior officials to welcome Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya when he visited the disputed areas near the Preah Vihear last year.
Hun Sen would visit several disputed areas along the border with Thailand from today until Monday, including the areas near Preah Vihear, Chong Bok and Ta Moan Thom.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) late on Thursday night to discuss security matters, including Hun Sen's border visit.
Senior officials attending the meeting concluded that it was just a routine visit by Hun Sen and the government should not overreact, a source at the meeting said.
Second Army Region Lt-General Veevarith Chornsamrit said he had contacted his Cambodian counterpart Chea Dara to discuss the arrangements for Hun Sen's visit.
Hun Sen would preside over the opening ceremony of a village in Preah Vihear province before a visit to Cambodian troops stationed in the nearby areas, he said.
The border visit was a normal practice and would not raise any tensions in the disputed areas, the commander said. He also added that the visit would have no implications on Thailand's sovereignty.
The Pra Viharn National Park, a gate to the Preah Vihear from the Thai side, was closed yesterday as military beefed up security to prevent the possibility of violence if PAD protesters and local residents clashed.
Thailand and Cambodia downgraded relations after Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as his adviser. The ruling Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samuttara quoted Khmer Intelligence website that Thaksin had been given Cambodian citizenship since March 2009. No other source confirmed the report but Abhisit said Thaksin should forgo his Thai citizenship if he really is a Cambodian national.
Despite former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra denying that he had accompanied Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on a visit to disputed border areas this weekend, anxiety is looming in Thailand over its implications for the domestic political situation.
Thaksin said in his Twitter message that he is still in Dubai and would not accompany Hun Sen to visit the disputed areas near Preah Vihear Temple. He blasted Veera Somkwamkid, the leader of the nationalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who had floated the news earlier.
"Don't you stop lying? I'm in Dubai which is seven hours from Cambodia by flight. How can you imagine I would go there, nonsense," he said.
Veera said he would take his PAD followers to protest against Hun Sen at Preah Vihear as the visit might violate Thai sovereignty over the territory. He said Hun Sen's visit with Thaksin would mount tensions in Thailand's politics as the court would issue a verdict in Thaksin's assets case later this month.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsubhan urged Veera not to make the problem more complicated. He said the government and concerned officials should be allowed to handle the situation.
Veera led the PAD to clash with local residents in Si Sa Ket's Kanthalalak district twice in 2008 and 2009 in protest against Preah Vihear's inscription as a World Heritage Site, which disturbed local people.
Suthep said Hun Sen's visit would not create any tensions in the border areas as the two countries have a protocol for welcoming each other on border visits. The government has assigned Si Sa Ket provincial governor and commander of Second Army Region to welcome the Cambodian prime minister.
Cambodia also follows the same protocol and assigned senior officials to welcome Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya when he visited the disputed areas near the Preah Vihear last year.
Hun Sen would visit several disputed areas along the border with Thailand from today until Monday, including the areas near Preah Vihear, Chong Bok and Ta Moan Thom.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) late on Thursday night to discuss security matters, including Hun Sen's border visit.
Senior officials attending the meeting concluded that it was just a routine visit by Hun Sen and the government should not overreact, a source at the meeting said.
Second Army Region Lt-General Veevarith Chornsamrit said he had contacted his Cambodian counterpart Chea Dara to discuss the arrangements for Hun Sen's visit.
Hun Sen would preside over the opening ceremony of a village in Preah Vihear province before a visit to Cambodian troops stationed in the nearby areas, he said.
The border visit was a normal practice and would not raise any tensions in the disputed areas, the commander said. He also added that the visit would have no implications on Thailand's sovereignty.
The Pra Viharn National Park, a gate to the Preah Vihear from the Thai side, was closed yesterday as military beefed up security to prevent the possibility of violence if PAD protesters and local residents clashed.
Thailand and Cambodia downgraded relations after Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as his adviser. The ruling Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samuttara quoted Khmer Intelligence website that Thaksin had been given Cambodian citizenship since March 2009. No other source confirmed the report but Abhisit said Thaksin should forgo his Thai citizenship if he really is a Cambodian national.
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