Ex-PM 'might move to Cambodia'

By WICHIT CHAITRONG
THE NATION ON SUNDAY


Fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra is likely to use Cambodia as the new base for his political operations due to its proximity to Thailand, political scientist Chaianan Samudvanija said yesterday.

He said Cambodia would be more favourable for Thaksin as his current base - Dubai in the United Arab Emirates - is "too far away" from Thailand.

However, Chaianan, a former Constitution Court judge, said he thought Thaksin's decision to move his base to Cambodia "would not be a wise one". He explained that Thais generally are not familiar with having their politicians relying on assistance from other countries.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) in Pattaya.

Chaianan said that with Thaksin moving to Cambodia, political activities would become "more intense" as politicians close to him would find it easier to meet him in the neighbouring country.

He also had no worries about the increasing rivalry between the red shirts and the yellow shirts, saying the confrontation was part of political development to a higher level of democracy. He said Thais have become more politically active and their participation in political activities has become uninterrupted, unlike that during the brief periods around the student-led uprising of October 1973.