Thaksin appointed as adviser to Cambodian Government

[Admin_2]

This should REALLY help with those border issues going on lately.

*sarcasm*

"PHNOM PENH, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was officially appointed as adviser of his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen and the Royal Government of Cambodia y King Norodom Sihamoni, a statement of the Royal Government announced on Wednesday.

The King signed the Royal Decree of the appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra on Oct. 27. The appointment was made in accordance with the country's constitutions and at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Hun Sen said, as he arrived in the beach resort of Hua Hin, Thailand, for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit on Oct. 23, that "Thaksin can stay in Cambodia as a guest of Cambodia. He can also be my adviser on the economy".

The Cambodian leader repeated an earlier invitation to Thaksin to stay in Cambodia and rejected Thai claims that Phnom Penh would have to extradite the tycoon.

"Our concern is for humanitarian reasons, it is friends helping friends. The internal affairs of Thailand would be left for Thai people to resolve, I am not interfering," said Hun Sen.

Thaksin was toppled from power in 2006 and he has been living in self-exile in foreign countries since then to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption.

Also, in the statement, Cambodia said it will not extradite Thaksin at a request from Thailand if he comes and stays in Cambodia. Meanwhile, it said that the Royal Government will continue its policy of having friendly relations with Thailand.

Ties between Cambodia and Thailand have been soured since June 2008 amid a border conflict over land surrounding an 11th century temple. But relations have cooled further since Hun Sen made his first invitation to Thaksin last month.

The Cambodian government said earlier that under treaties between the two nations it could reject a request for Thaksin's extradition because it would be made on the grounds of "political offence."

Thaksin, born in Thailand's northern province Chiang Mai in 1949, became one of the richest people in Thailand by setting up telecommunications companies like Shin Corporation and Advanced Info Service before entering politics.

Thaksin entered politics by joining the Phalang Dharma Party (Power of Justice Party) in 1994, and once served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in two administrations."

The Nation

[carz79]

Hmmm..........was that a neighbourly thing to do?

[English_Bob]

Sheesh - it's one long ******* soap opera.

I can't believe how many column inches this guy commands. Doesn't Thailand have any special forces who could make this problem disappear?

It's got to be a lot easier if he's just over the border.

I can feel this is going to turn into a 'Zelayas' situation, with Thaksin making lightning border crossings to meet supporters and media, with the immigration police allowing him entry.

He will probably try to hole up in the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok just to rub it in. There are times I wish the king wasn't above politics.

[PeeMarc]

Yep... never a dull moment, here in this part of the world. :roll:

[CiaranM]

absolutely f**king insane !!! does paul the turd advise the cambodian government on political appointments !!! :roll: :roll:

[Admin_2]

Yep... never a dull moment, here in this part of the world. :roll:

...and that's exactly why I'm still living here!

[zeusbheld]

absolutely f**king insane !!! does paul the turd advise the cambodian government on political appointments !!! :roll: :roll:

nah, all his tragicomedy is ham-handed and unintentional.

this is a genius act of facepalm-epidemic-creation...

[bigKus]

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what gonna happen when the selfish idiots meet up !

**From matichon weekly

[johnno]

Doesn't Thailand have any special forces who could make this problem disappear?

It's got to be a lot easier if he's just over the border.

this has always puzzled me also. why don't they treat him as thaksin treated "drug dealers" back in 2001. one bullet to the brain and the problem is gone.

[biachung]

.

"Our concern is for humanitarian reasons, it is friends helping friends.

This is impossible! everyone knows Thaksin Rak Thaksin (TRT)

[Neo]

Doesn't Thailand have any special forces who could make this problem disappear?

It's got to be a lot easier if he's just over the border.

this has always puzzled me also. why don't they treat him as thaksin treated "drug dealers" back in 2001. one bullet to the brain and the problem is gone.

Aaah but Thaksin's war on drugs was about killing grannies, children and other unimportant nobodies. Killing crims like him would be quite out of the question.

[LakeGeneve]

Doesn't Thailand have any special forces who could make this problem disappear?

It's got to be a lot easier if he's just over the border.

this has always puzzled me also. why don't they treat him as thaksin treated "drug dealers" back in 2001. one bullet to the brain and the problem is gone.

The 'War on Drugs' commenced in 2003 did it not?

Although political assasinations are not uncommon in thai politics, killing off Thaksin in such a manner would be the second most conducive catalyst to induce a near civil war dynamic.

The various factions in the army would immediately break out into open fighting in some places, most of the police would go more rogue than they already are and engage in payback, various Or Sor units would go berserk. There would be a lot of bloody payback by political thugs, their gangs and the UDD/DAAD idiots. And a sigificant number of common folk would be swept up in the fervor of it all.

Thai politics would be an even bigger mess for an even longer period than it already is. It would be one of the most stupid acts anyone could make - leaving aside the whole unlawfulness issue.

In some respect, Thaksin aligning himself more openly with Hun Sen - nothing new here as he has for a while now - has the potential to undermine some of his base given the historical paradigm & enimity which exisits between Thais and Khmers and the more recent, nationalistic stupidity over border demarcation issues (especially Preah Vihear area & maritime areas). It it yet another desperate move from Thaksin but clearly he does benefit a little tactically by being physically closer to Thailand in order to rally the troops and PT lackeys.

Also, as we saw during Feb 2003 when Thailand closed her borders after the Embassy was trashed (re: the Angkor Wat being Thai comment), Cambodia has a lot to lose if Thailand cuts off her links to the country. The Poipet casinos lost tens of millions (they ended up paying compensation on behalf of Cambodia to Thailand) and tourists numbers in Cambodia plummented.

[johnno]

yeah, you're right.

it would probably result in the airport being closed down and red shirted people fighting with yellow shirted people on the streets.

can't have that happening

[fedor]

... There are times I wish the king wasn't above politics.

lulz

[zeusbheld]

Doesn't Thailand have any special forces who could make this problem disappear?

It's got to be a lot easier if he's just over the border.

this has always puzzled me also. why don't they treat him as thaksin treated "drug dealers" back in 2001. one bullet to the brain and the problem is gone.

Aaah but Thaksin's war on drugs was about killing grannies, children and other unimportant nobodies. Killing crims like him would be quite out of the question.

crims like him being those with some status i'd imagine you mean.

[LakeGeneve]

yeah, you're right.

it would probably result in the airport being closed down and red shirted people fighting with yellow shirted people on the streets.

can't have that happening

Well the airport was a non event in terms of bloodshed and apart from a few relatively small incidents the PAD & DAAD/UDD have not engaged in much violent conflict and certainly not on a large scale.

There were fears with the Sept 06 coup that those units in the army loyal to Thaksin would engage in open fighting but thankfully it did not occur. And in the 3 years since then there have been various flashpoints between the PAD & PPP/DAAD (eg. incidents in CM, Udon May 08 & 2 Sept 08 at Ratchdamnoen Nok/Govt House) but nothing on a major scale. And compared to historical events of bloodshed in thailand (73, 76, 92) thankfully recent events have been very limited.

Using the boxing metaphor for the current ongoing, long term power struggle, I suggest that we are in round 5 of a 15 round bout. By killing one of the boxers your basically going to immediately fast forward to round 13 and provoke all those on the sidelines and a stadium full of 10 000 screaming fans to have an all out intense biffo with few constraints until the ref intervenes (assuming he is still standing at this time).

I really dislike Thaksin and he has a lot of blood on his hands. However, IMHO whacking Thaksin would be the worst thing to do and would result in extreme bloodshed and a very ugly for a brief period. Better to let him self implode as he will eventually.

As suggested in my previous post, due to mindless nationalism Thaskin has the potential to lose a lot of support with this desperate ploy of aligning himself more openly at this time with Hun Sen;

The popularity of the Abhisit Vejjajiva government has soared after its diplomatic protest against Phnom Penh's appointment of convicted Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser, an opinion poll has found. And most Thais have told another poll they don't want Thaksin to offer advice to Cambodia.

Up to 68.8% of 3,709 respondents in 21 provinces have thrown their support behind the government, a huge increase on the 23.3% who backed it in September, according to an Abac poll conducted by Assumption University, between Oct 25 and Thursday.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/26994/support-for-govt-rockets-after-protest

[CiaranM]

yeah, you're right.

it would probably result in the airport being closed down and red shirted people fighting with yellow shirted people on the streets.

can't have that happening

i would guess if Thaksin was "taken out" what followed on would make the red shirts/yellow shirts posturing look like a tea party !!!

[Admin_2]

yeah, you're right.

it would probably result in the airport being closed down and red shirted people fighting with yellow shirted people on the streets.

can't have that happening

i would guess if Thaksin was "taken out" what followed on would make the red shirts/yellow shirts posturing look like a tea party !!!

Exactly. Keep in mind that there are millions that love him and look up to him. Someone taking him out would be reaaaalllly bad.

[Admin_2]

"PHNOM PENH : Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Cambodia this week after being named the country's economic adviser, Prime Minister Hun Sen says.

"Thaksin will be at the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Nov 12, to hold a briefing with more than 300 Cambodian economics experts," Hun Sen said at Phnom Penh International Airport.

The visit is likely to increase tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, which have escalated since Wednesday when Cambodia announced the appointment of Thaksin as an adviser to the prime minister and the government. Both countries have since recalled their ambassadors.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said Thailand would seek the extradition of Thaksin if he was on Cambodian soil. The two countries have an extradition agreement.

Thaksin was convicted by a Thai court last year for conflict of interest in a property deal, but while on bail he fled into exile overseas.

The Foreign Ministry has to identify Thaksin's exact location and then contact the Office of the Attorney-General to start the extradition process.

The ministry will use its diplomatic channels to contact the Cambodian government on the extradition.

Chief prosecutor for foreign affairs Sirisak Tiyaphan said the OAG would speed up the process if it was contacted by the ministry. But he indicated it could be hard to pin down Thaksin's exact whereabouts.

Mr Abhisit said Thaksin's extradition would rest with Cambodia.

Hun Sen refused to say exactly when Thaksin would arrive.

Cambodia said last week the charges against Thaksin were "politically motivated" and vowed not to extradite him if he travelled to the country.

"Please let Thaksin share my burden of boosting the economy of Cambodia," Hun Sen appealed to Thais yesterday.

But the Cambodian prime minister also downplayed tensions at the border, announcing the withdrawal of elite paratroopers from disputed territory near Preah Vihear temple.

"After examining the situation at the border between Cambodia and Thailand, the situation was quiet," he said. "So I announce the withdrawal of special paratroopers from the area at Preah Vihear temple, and their return to the headquarters.

"The implementation will be finished within a week."

Hun Sen, however, left open the possibility of shutting the border entirely, responding to a threat made by Thailand last week.

"If you want to close, close it. The loss will be mutual," said Hun Sen, pointing out that Thailand had more to lose in terms of border trade profit.

"If Thais want to close the border, Cambodia will follow. If Thais close the border, all trade between Cambodia and Thailand will be cut off."

Commander Chab Pheakdey, head of the paratrooper unit, refused to divulge the number of soldiers that would be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the Thai cabinet will officially scrap a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia on an overlapping maritime boundary tomorrow, a Foreign Ministry source said.

The memo is a framework for officials to negotiate demarcation of the area in the Gulf of Thailand and on joint deals to develop gas and oil there.

The end of the agreement does not take immediate effect as Thailand is required to inform Cambodia three months in advance of the decision. Parliament is also debating its response to the row."

Bangkok Post

[koolbreez]

There was only one crime thaksin could be convicted of without him being in court after he left the country. There are still 3 major crimes he is facing as soon as they can get him into a Thai court to answer the charges. That is why he will not risk entering Thailand under any circumstances, unless there is a royal pardon, and constitutional changes. He still is facing criminal charges related to the airport coruption, plus 2 other related crimes, and one crime related to the extrajudicial killings of his drug program.

If by some happenstance he was to disapear, the money would stop, and his power would be ended. His money IS his ONLY power left.

I just hope he doesn't do something foolish like inciting Cambodia into war, but he is a vengeful zelot that I wouldn't put anything past.

Just something else to think about. He will never be seem as a martyr.

[LIEBE]

sounds fun

[iBatch]

"PHNOM PENH : Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Cambodia this week after being named the country's economic adviser, Prime Minister Hun Sen says.

Country's economic adviser..my ass.

both of em will be deep-rooted to hell someday soon. Drink on me when that day is coming.

[English_Bob]

I think it was a bad move, allying himself with Thailand's traditional enemy.

While some of the Isaan folks who live around the border and speak Khmer will accept it, the rest of the country will see this as lying down with dogs.

Thaksin doesn't need to be assassinated messily and publicly... there are surely enough Thai policemen and soldiers experienced in making people 'disappear'...

(You know, people like Muslim Lawyers, Conservation Spokesmen and Saudi Diplomats...)

[bigKus]

"PHNOM PENH : Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Cambodia this week after being named the country's economic adviser, Prime Minister Hun Sen says.

Country's economic adviser..my a*s.

both of em will be deep-rooted to hell someday soon. Drink on me when that day is coming.

Muahhhh.... , my kunnie baby! Cheers!

[iBatch]

Muahhhh.... , my kunnie baby! Cheers!

lets get drunk :winky: