Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, left, greets ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, center, and his supporters Friday, Nov. 13, 2009, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Hun Sen has named Thaksin an economic advisor to Cambodia, sparking tensions between the two Southeast Asian nations. Thaksin faces a two-year prison sentence for corruption, should he return to Thailand. (AP Photo/Khem Sovannara)
Written by DAP NEWS -- Friday, 13 November 2009
(Posted by CAAI News Media)
A dozen of shirted supporters of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra on Thursday afternoon crossed the border to meet with their fugitive leader in Siem Reap province, about 100 km from Thai border in Sisaket province.
The red shirts showed their support for Thaksin, some with tears, and welcomed Thaksin’s appointment as the PM Hun Sen’s economic advisor.
The meeting came a day after Thaksin gave a lecture on economics to more than 300 Cambodian Gover- nment officials at the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Thursday morning.
According to the source, the red shirts blamed the Bangkok Govern-ment led by Abhisit for Thailand’s economic and social troubles.
Singing “We love Thaksin!” in Thai and English, the protesters, who had crossed the border from northeastern Thailand, gave the billionaire tycoon roses and hugs as he arrived at a hotel in Siem Reap, reported AFP.
“I am very happy to see him. We hug him and he hugs us,” Taradang Chinin, a representative of the group who travelled from their homes in Thailand the previous day, told AFP in the lobby of the Nokor Kokthrok hotel.
“The Thai Government right now is a big cheater. Thaksin, when he was prime minister, he thought about poor people. He shared his love for people. He is very popular,” supporter Taradang said. Meanwhile, according to reports from the Poipet International Border Crossing in Banteay Meanchey province, a group of Thai soldiers warned and stopped some red shirts crossing to Cambodia to meet Thaksin. The black-clad soldiers claimed the red shirts did not hold valid passports so did not allow them to cross the border.
Over 30 red shirts made the trip to Phnom Penh to show their support Thaksin as he was appointed as a Cambodia Government economic advisor by Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on October 27.
However, even though Thai black-clad soldiers blocked the red shirts, the border is still normal and citizens can come and go through the border gate as usual.
“Even though the two countries’ diplomatic ties are down, the situation at the Poipet gate is still normal and citizens can do their business as usual,” Banteay Meanchey Sub-Governor Ou Long Dy told DAP News Cambodia on Thursday.
“Thai citizens can come to gamble in Cambodia casinos as usual,” he added. In his lecture on economi cs to Cambodian Government Thaksin recommended that Cambod ia focus on tourism, agriculture, rural development and natural resource extraction.
“I would like to see broadcasting about the tourism field among Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand and each nation should strengthen quality standards and safe tourism services,” Thaksin said.
No comments:
Post a Comment