Samak says govt opponents jeopardised Thai-Cambodian relations by playing up Preah Vihear issue

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Sunday that opponents of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra played up the Preah Vihear issue with ulterior motive to annihilate him.

Samak said the opponents did not care that their campaigns would jeopardise bilateral relations between Cambodia and Thailand and incite hatred between people of the two countries.

Speaking during his Talk Samak Style, Samak reaffirmed his government's stand that the listing of Preah Vihear temple by Cambodia as a world heritage site would not cause Thailand to lose its territory.

He said Thaksin's opponents played up the issue out of proportion and wanted to use the current government as a tool annihilate Thaksin as well.

Reading from his personal statement, Samak said his government obeyed the Administrative Court 's injunction on the Preah Vihear issue as much as what the opposition accepted it.

But, he said, the issue would be decided by a third party and his government would also have to take into account of interest of the two countries and their citizens.