Cambodia: Thai ex-PM Thaksin resigns as adviser

By SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press Writer


(AP:PHNOM PENH, Cambodia) Thailand's former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, on Monday gave up his post as an adviser to the Cambodian government, nine months after his appointment helped fuel a diplomatic brouhaha.

A royal decree signed Monday by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni said Thaksin had been terminated from his dual positions of personal adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen and economic adviser to the Cambodia government at his own request. A government statement said he tendered his resignation, accepted by Hun Sen, due to his "difficulty to fulfill his duty."

Thaksin was appointed in November last year, and his subsequent visit to Cambodia set off a row in which the two countries recalled their ambassadors.

Bangkok was displeased because Thaksin is a fugitive from justice. In 2008, a Thai court sentenced Thaksin in absentia to two years in prison for violating a conflict of interest law, but he fled into exile before the verdict. He was ousted by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Hun Sen said Thaksin had been unfairly convicted for political reasons.

Thaksin lives mainly in Dubai, and has been accused by the current Thai government of seeking to undermine it. His supporters and their allies in March to May this year staged aggressive street protests in the Thai capital Bangkok, with related violence leaving about 90 people dead and more than 1,400 wounded.

Cambodia's relation with Thailand have been contentious for several years, with the focus of tension most recently being a dispute over some land on their common border. Relations have become worse since Abhisit Vejjajiva, a political antagonist of Thaksin, became Thailand's prime minister in December 2008.

Some of Hun Sen's antagonism toward Abhisit's government may be ascribed to the Thai leader appointing as his foreign minister Kasit Piromya, who before taking the post had insulted Hun Sen in public speeches as a gangster and a bum.

Abhisit, questioned about Thaksin's resignation, said he was waiting for confirmation, and that if it were true, would welcome a move for the two countries to send their ambassadors back to their posts, but "we must proceed step-by-step."

The Cambodian government statement said that while Thaksin served as adviser, he contributed vital ideas and drew on his experience "to help Cambodia with competitiveness, especially in the fields of investment, tourism, commerce and agriculture."

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thaksin resigned for personal reasons, and Cambodia did not receive pressure from any country to terminate him. He also said the matter did not affect Cambodia's stance on its territorial claims.

Cambodia did not elaborate on Thaksin's difficulties in fulfilling his duties. However, Noppadol Pattama, a former Thai foreign minister lawyer in Bangkok who sometimes represents Thaksin's interest, said that lately the former prime minister has been traveling a lot for business and other reasons so "didn't have time to dedicate to the responsibilities that accompanied the position."

Noppadol also said Thaksin did not wish to complicate Thai-Cambodian relations.