Thaksin meets with Hun Sen

Thaksin meet Hun Sen.

Published: 18/03/2012
Bangkok Post

Fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra visited Cambodia on Thursday to meet Prime Minister Hun Sen on a personal matter and left the country the next day, a Cambodian news agency said on Friday.

Thaksin visited the kingdom to ask about the health of Hun Sen’s 90-year-old father who is sick.

He left Cambodia on Friday morning, Cambodian Express News (CEN) quoted Cambodia’s government spokesman Phay Siphan as saying.

Mr Phay declined to say if business matters were discussed during the meeting and insisted Thaksin’s trip was personal. He said the former Thai premier only came to meet Hun Sen to inquire about his father’s health, according to CEN.

A Pheu Thai Party source also said on Thursday Thaksin had arrived in Cambodia to visit the sick father of Prime Minister Hun Sen,

Many members of the Pheu Thai Party flew to Cambodia to meet Thaksin, the source added.

Thaksin was spotted by reporters at Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort in Siem Reap. He was accompanied by former Thai Rak Thai executive Yongyuth Tiyapairat, red shirt leader Suporn Attawong and National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department chief Damrong Pidech.

Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin's legal adviser, said it was normal for Pheu Thai members to go and see Thaksin when he arrives in a neighbouring country for a visit. Mr Noppadon insisted Thaksin's stay in Cambodia had no political motive. Now is not the time for any major reshuffle of the cabinet or government officials, he said.