Thailand shrugs off Cambodia exile offer for Thaksin

Demonstrators gather next to a portrait of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a rally outside the Government House in Bangkok October 17, 2009. Thailand's embattled government on Thursday played down Cambodia's offer of asylum for fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.  REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom/Files

Thu Oct 22, 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

By Pracha Hariraksapitak

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's embattled government on Thursday played down Cambodia's offer of asylum for fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, as an anti-government campaign again cast a shadow over a Thai-hosted regional summit.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday described Thaksin, ousted in a 2006 coup, as an "eternal friend" and said he had a residence in neighbouring Cambodia waiting for him, state television reported.

Thailand is seeking to extradite billionaire Thaksin, who is currently living in Dubai, to serve a jail term for corruption.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters on Thursday he was not surprised by Hun Sen's offer, which was conveyed to Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, a Thai political heavyweight and close Thaksin aide, during a visit to Phnom Penh.

"It is a liberty of a prime minister of a country to have as many friends as he wishes. If he is a friend of someone whom we have a problem with, there is no reason for us to be mad at the entire country," Suthep said.

Thailand and Cambodia have a history of fraught relations. Earlier this month Hun Sen caused a stir when he ordered troops to shoot any Thai crossing illegally into Cambodia, as nationalist tensions mounted over an 11th century temple the two countries have fought over for decades.

Cambodia's offer coincides with a summit of Asian leaders in Hua Hin, Thailand, where Hun Sen is due to meet his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose fragile government is battling to survive amid mass protests by Thaksin's supporters.

Hun Sen previously threatened to boycott the Hua Hin meeting over the temple row, but has confirmed he will attend, though he will miss Friday's opening ceremony.

The ASEAN and East Asia Summits have been postponed on two occasions in Thailand over the past year due to political unrest, causing the government deep embarrassment.

STRAINED TIES

Abhisit has been anxious to minimise Thaksin's influence from exile, and Cambodia's offer to Thaksin is sure to further strain relations.

However, Suthep said it was unnecessary for Thailand to issue a protest letter, adding Hun Sen would not have said Thaksin has been unfairly treated if he had been properly informed.

"What he (Hun Sen) said and felt may be different from what many of us here do ... If we feel that he has been misinformed, we should provide him the correct information," he said.

"Even Thais have different ideas (over Thaksin). While a group of Thais come out on the street and say Thaksin is mistreated, a large number of us feel Thaksin has put the country in damage."

Hun Sen also pledged his support for Puea Thai, Thailand's main opposition and the latest incarnation of Thaksin's disbanded mass Thai Rak Thai party.

Thaksin, who scored an unprecedented two landslide election victories, has been living mostly in Dubai since skipping bail in August 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence for graft.

He owns a private jet and has travelled the world on various passports, including one from Nicaragua, and continues to rally his supporters in telephone and video addresses from exile.

Analysts say with Thaksin's vast war chest and huge support among the rural masses, Puea Thai would likely win the next election, a scenario that would lead to more instability in a country dogged by four years of intractable political strife.

(Additional reporting by Nopporn Wong-Anan; Writing by Jeremy Laurence; Editing by Bill Tarrant)