Korea offers Cambodia more development aid

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, chats with President Lee Myung-bak, center, through a translator during a tour of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, 143 miles northwest of Phnom Penh, yesterday. [YONHAP]

October 24, 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

SIEM REAP, Cambodia - Korea will provide a further $9.25 million to Cambodia in new development assistance in 2010 and 2011 to fund a road construction project in Siem Reap, best known for its proximity to Angkor Wat, according to the Blue House.

Korea gave $5.9 million between 2005 and 2009 to build the road in an effort to help conserve the cultural heritage site.

The Korea Ring Road will help disperse traffic in the area, contributing to protecting the 800-year-old temples, the Blue House said in a press release.

Following a visit to Angkor Wat to discuss the road project and cultural preservation, Lee departed for Hua Hin, Thailand, yesterday to attend a series of regional summits.

Today and tomorrow, Lee will attend the Korea-Asean summit and the Asean Plus Three summit where leaders of 10 Southeast Asian nations, China and Japan will join him.

In the regional summits, Lee will seek the participating leaders’ support to resolve North Korea’s nuclear crisis, the Blue House said. Measures to fight climate change and promote green growth will also be addressed.

After the Asean Plus Three summit, the leaders are expected to adopt a statement on food security and bio energy development cooperation.

Tomorrow, the South Korean president will also attend the annual East Asia summit, in which the leaders of the Asean Plus Three and India, Australia and New Zealand will sit down to discuss regional and global issues.

According to the Blue House, the Lee administration will concentrate its efforts on cementing trust between Korea and Asean.

During a cabinet workshop last Sunday, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said Korea will use the Group of 20 summit that it will host in November next year as an opportunity to promote Lee’s New Asia Initiative, the Blue House has said.

Lee announced a new diplomatic initiative to engage Asia-Pacific nations in March, marking a shift in focus for Seoul’s foreign policy, from the four global powers to relations with its regional neighbors.

Lee said Seoul’s foreign policy concentration on Washington, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow last year was successful and that the time had come to reach out to countries in the region.

Under his “New Asia Initiative,” Lee’s goal is to speak for Asian nations in the international community. According to the Blue House, Korea seeks to cooperate with Asia-Pacific neighbors while playing a leading role in resolving transnational tasks such as the financial crisis and climate change. Seoul will focus on diplomacy to encourage free trade and investment within the region.

According to the Blue House, Lee’s initiative gained momentum over the past seven months after he attended the Asean Plus Three summit in Thailand in April, visited Central Asia in May and hosted the Korea-Asean special summit in June.

For stronger ties with Asean, Lee has also promised to increase the Korea-Asean cooperative fund from the annual $3 million to $5 million after 2010.

Korea’s official development assistance toward Asean nations will be increased from $155 million of last year to $395 million by 2015.

“The New Asia Initiative is also in line with President Lee’s national vision of a greater, global Korea,” Lee Dong-kwan, Lee’s senior secretary for public affairs, has said.

“The president has an idea of highlighting Asia’s role and capability in the new international order to be formed in the post-global financial crisis era. And the New Asia Initiative is the product of President Lee’s vision.”

The Asean summits in Thailand later this week and the APEC summit in Singapore next month will be used as key opportunities to promote Lee’s vision, the Blue House said.

By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]

ASEAN summit hits snag on new rights panel

Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva (Sakchai Lalit - AP)

By Tim Johnston and Kevin Brown

Saturday, October 24, 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

HUA HIN, THAILAND -- Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were supposed to celebrate the inauguration of the group's new human rights body as they met Friday, but rifts over human rights, trade and politics marred the first day of the region's annual summit.

Five member states -- Burma, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Singapore -- refused to meet the five individuals chosen by civil rights groups to represent their countries.

"I am very disappointed, and I see this as not only a rejection of me personally and the organization I represent, but as a rejection of the democratic process in the region," said Sister Crescencia Lucero, the Franciscan nun who was to have been the Philippines representative.

The association's Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, one of the central elements of the legally binding ASEAN Charter signed last year, disappointed many rights advocates when it was limited to the promotion rather than the protection of human rights.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Thai prime minister and current ASEAN chairman, tried to put a positive gloss on the dispute.

"For members of civil society, you should be assured that you now have a partner with which to work," he said.

Nongovernmental groups have portrayed the disagreement as a struggle for the soul of ASEAN: Is it, as Vejjajiva described in his opening statement, a "people-centered" community or, as its critics allege, an uncritical club for regional governments, some of which, such as Burma and Cambodia, are regularly accused of human rights abuses?

ASEAN is caught between its drive for greater integration and international relevance, and the principle of noninterference in the internal affairs of other member states, but bilateral relations are a recurrent problem.

Regional politicians sometimes cite the European Union as their model, but their ambitions risk running aground on the vast political and social differences between the states, which range from the absolute monarchy of Brunei to the communist governments of Vietnam and Laos.

-- Financial Times

Myanmar Won't Allow Thailand's Foe To Use Its Soil, Says PM

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

HUA HIN, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein has assured his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva that his country would not allow anyone opposing Thailand to use its soil as a springboard to attack the kingdom, according to the Thai News Agency (TNA).

Thein Sein, who is now attending the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit being held in the Thai resorts of Hua Hin and Cha-am, reportedly told Abhisit on the sidelines of the summit Friday, that Myanmar upheld the principle of living in harmony and that it would not allow anyone opposing Thailand wishing to use his country as springboard in attacking this country.

Expressing his confidence that Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, could sail through obstacles and negative challenges, Thein Sein told Abhisit that both Myanmar and Thailand share a long border and both countries have to depend with each other and good neighbourliness is, therefore, significant.

Thein Sein's remarks were made after Abhisit and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen traded words after the Khmer leader reasserted Friday on arriving for the ASEAN summit that his government would reject any Thai request to extradite former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if the self-exiled ex-premier accepts an invitation for refuge in Cambodia.

Hun Sen told journalists to read the extradition treaty thoroughly to understand why the former Thai premier, whom he described as his friend, can stay in Cambodia as a guest of the Cambodian government.

Ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006, Thaksin jumped bail and fled sentencing to a two-year jail term for malfeasance in the controversial Bangkok's Ratchadapisek land purchase case.

The toppled Thai premier now spends most of his time in the United Arab Emirates after his status as a visitor was rejected by a number of countries including both the United Kingdom and Germany.

Thanking Myanmar for its support given to Thailand as chairman of ASEAN, Abhisit told Thein Sein that his government supports Japan's financial assistance bestowed to Myanmar on various projects, including developing hospitals and schools.

Abhisit said his government, as a close neighbour to Myanmar and host of ASEAN, had told every country to strengthen ties with Myanmar and had requested the Myanmar government leader to "unofficially report" on progress on development projects in his country during the ASEAN summit on Saturday.

Wishing Myanmar to successfully hold its general election next year, Abhisit also told Thein Sein that he hopes to officially visit Myanmar when he has the opportunity and to also meet Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to boost democracy for the world community.

The leaders of ASEAN's 10 member countries--Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam-- are holding their three-day summit in the Thai resorts with their six dialogue partners--China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The summit ends Sunday.

Thailand-Cambodia Dispute Overshadows Summit

By SIMON ROUGHNEEN

Saturday, October 24, 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

CHA-AM, Thailand — An uncharacteristically edgy summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) threatened to boil over yesterday as Thai-Cambodian relations took another turn for the worse.

A visibly exasperated Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjjiva hit back at his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen, calling him “seriously misinformed” over the latter’s remarks comparing fugitive former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra with Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Hun Sen had earlier offered Thaksin, who was deposed in a 2006 coup, a job as an economics advisor and said that if the exiled media mogul chose to come to Cambodia, he would not face extradition to Thailand to face corruption charges.

“Thaksin can stay in Cambodia as the guest of Cambodia and also be my guest as my adviser on our economy,” said Hun Sen.

His remarks comparing the former Thai prime minister with Aung San Suu Kyi raised many eyebrows among summit delegates, as he attempted to capitalize on the international media attention on Asean this weekend to highlight his view that Thaksin’s plight is politically driven.

“Hun Sen’s comments are being seen as an attempt to intervene in Thailand’s precarious domestic political situation,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, the director of the Institute of Security and International Studies (Thailand) at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

Last week, Hun Sen gave a pointedly high-profile reception to former Thai prime minister and Thaksin ally Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyuth. Chavalit said “Mr Hun Sen is my old friend and I am visiting him at his invitation.”

Last month, Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy was in Bangkok, where he addressed the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand on press freedom in Cambodia. Rainsy slammed the Hun Sen administration, saying that it gives token assent to freedom of speech but uses state resources to hit critics with defamation suits, backed by a pro-government judiciary.

Thitinan said he thinks that Hun Sen has taken umbrage at Rainsy using his time in Thailand to attack the Cambodian government.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on the sidelines of the Asean summit, Cambodian opposition MP San Cchay said that Hun Sen’s reaction shows that he does not understand how a liberal democracy works.

“Just because Sam Rainsy talks in critical terms while in Thailand does not mean it has anything to do with the Thai government. Hun Sen merely betrays his own anti-democratic leanings with such an assumption,” he said.

Yesterday, the anti-government and pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) called on Asean to withdraw support for Abhisit as the bloc’s chairman.

The UDD is seeking a royal pardon to enable Thaksin return to Thailand without having to face jail time on corruption charges. The UDD is also seeking a general election and deems the Abhisit government as illegitimate.

Thaksin is regarded as the most popular yet divisive head of government in recent Thai history, implementing pro-poor policies and developing the northeastern Isaan region, but periodically clamping down on media, launching a draconian war on drugs and seeking a military solution to the southern Thailand Muslim rebellion.

Interestingly, Hun Sen’s comparison of Thaksin’s situation to that of Suu Kyi comes as the Nobel Peace Prize laureate marks a total of 14 years in detention today. She was first arrested in July 1989, ahead of a landslide electoral victory by her party, the National League for Democracy, in May 1990.

The comparison was made even as five Asean member states, including Cambodia, refused to allow NGO representatives other than those handpicked by the governments to attend a scheduled “civil society” meeting with regional heads of government.

Nay Vanda of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association—selected by the Asean People’s Forum as his country’s representative at the meeting—said he was disappointed with the outcome.

“Cambodia is supposed to be a democracy that respects the rule of law. I was chosen via a democratic process, yet the government refused to meet me.

Even Communist, one-party state Vietnam was not afraid to meet the NGO representative selected by the Asean People’s Forum,” he said.

An hour after that meeting, Asean launched a new human rights body, known as the Asean Intergovernmental Human Rights Commission, which has no scope to punish or even draw attention to human rights abuses in Southeast Asia and includes the Burmese junta among its representatives.

Cambodia has usually backed the Burmese regime when it is faced with criticism from the international community.

Hun Sen’s comments came just a day before his Thai counterpart hosted a three-day gathering of sixteen Asian leaders, with the ten-member Asean grouping having a series of meetings on Friday before being joined by counterparts from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on Saturday.

The summit aimed to make progress on Asean integration across a number of sectors. However, Abhisit took Hun Sen’s comments as an attempt to undermine this, saying “[Asean member states] have no time to pay attention to a person who wants to destroy unity.”

This weekend’s summit is a re-run of an April meeting in Pattaya, which was cancelled after Thaksin’s red-shirted backers clashed with troops and pro-government protesters.

That melee further blemished tourist-oriented Thailand’s international image, already sullied after yellow-shirted royalists blockaded Bangkok’s international airports in late 2008. This time around, 36,000 soldiers and police were deployed around Cha-am and Hua Hin, 90 minutes south of Bangkok, to prevent any attempted repeat by the red shirts.

However, Thaksin’s shadow was cast over this summit, albeit by proxy, with Hun Sen apparently seeking to needle his Thai counterpart, with whom relations are already touchy over a long-running border dispute centering on the Preah Vihear temple and surrounding land area.

One month ago, 30,000 Thaksin supporters gathered in Bangkok mark the 3rd anniversary of the military coup that deposed him. The same weekend, royalist protesters caused mayhem around the Preah Vihear site, tussling with locals and exhorting the Thai government to take a more assertive stance with Phnom Penh over the disputed site.

Thitinan told The Irrawaddy: “Thailand and Cambodia have had rocky relations for a number of years. The reasons are multifaceted, but underpinning the divide is the fact that Thailand has somewhat of a superiority complex, while Cambodia perhaps retains an element of colonial baggage, and now sits between two much bigger countries in Thailand and Vietnam.”

Giving an insight into the level of acrimony generated by this latest spat, a press conference given by members of the Asean Interparliamentary Myanmar (Burma) caucus on Saturday afternoon discussed how Burma was pushed down the priority list as a result.

Thai-Cambodia spat couds ASEAN Summit

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Bangkok, Oct 24 : A war of words between Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and Cambodia over coup-ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra, has marred the ASEAN Summit taking place at Hua Hin near here.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is current chair of the 10-nation grouping, has questioned his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen's defence of Mr Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2006.

''What is the purpose of Prime Minister Hun Sen coming to Thailand? And what has he said that was in line with the aim of the meeting?'' Mr Abhisit told a press conference.

Mr Abhisit was responding to Mr Hun Sen's reported remarks to the press on his arrival in Hua Hin that his country was ready to offer refuge to Mr Thaksin, who is living abroad in self-imposed exile to avoid prosecution in Thailand on corruption charges.

Mr Hun Sen added that the former Thai Prime Minister could become his economic advisor and insisted that Phnom Penh would not be legally obliged to extradite Mr Thaksin on Bangkok's request.

Mr Hun Sen said Mr Thaksin was a political victim of the 2006 military takeover in Bangkok and compared him to Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Thai Prime Minister said the ASEAN Summit was aimed at building a stronger Southeast Asian community and dismissed his Cambodian counterpart's remarks.

''(ASEAN) has no time to pay attention to a person who wants to destroy ASEAN unity. And I hope Prime Minister Hun Sen will receive the right information and change his mind on the matter,'' Mr Abhisit said.

Cambodia passes new law for foreign adoptions

http://www.chinaview.cn/
2009-10-24

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's National Assembly on Friday approved a new law for foreign adoptions, setting up criteria for children to be adopted, the eligibility of potential adoptive parents and the procedures for legal adoptions by families living overseas, local newspaper the Phnom Penh Post reported on Saturday.

All 72 parliamentarians in attendance voted to pass the two final chapters of the law after about one hour of debate, it said. Debate on the lO-chapter draft law began on Wednesday.

The law is aimed at ensuring that Cambodian children adopted by foreign parents, "grow up in a family environment, a happy environment, with love and understanding in order to develop fully."

For a child to be adopted by foreigners, he or she must be younger than 8 years old, except in the cases of special needs. The children must be living in an orphanage, under the care of the Social Affairs Ministry, or have poor or disabled parents, the law said.

Moreover, under the law, adoptive parents must be between 30 and 45 years old, and should have, at the most, one other child, who must be younger than 22 years old.

According to statistics presented by Ith Sam Heng, minister of social affairs, more than 20,000 Cambodian children live in state-run orphanages, and about 130,000 live in private facilities. He added that adoptive parents in the U.S. alone took home 1,415 Cambodian children between 1998 and 2003, although the U.S. government officially suspended adoptions in 2001 over fraud concerns.

And Britain cut off Cambodian adoptions in 2004, while France implemented a temporary ban between 2003 and 2006. Australians are also forbidden from adopting, as the two countries have never signed an agreement on adoption.

Ith Sam Heng was quoted by the Post as saying that the law would be "seriously implemented," adding that he had not heard of any bad things happening to Cambodian children after being adopted abroad.

He said a delegation from the ministry had already visited adoptive families in Canada, France, Italy and the U.S. Some foreign parents had also written annual reports to the government describing the conditions of the children, including photos, about health and education, he added.

Editor: Anne Tang

Yellow shirts to protest at Cambodian Embassy next month

Sat, October 24, 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Protesters led by People's Alliance for Democracy on Saturday threatened to protest and surround the Cambodian Embassy next month unless Cambodia withdrew its troops from area adjacent to Preah Vihear Temple.

The threat was made when they organised a brief protest at Puk Tien Beach in Cha-Am district Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of troops from the area immediately.

"We will protest at the Cambodian Embassy next month. Unless its government withdrew troops from the disputed area, we will surround the embassy."

Some 30 people gathered at the beach, about ten kilometers from meeting venue of Asean Summit, also in responding to harsh remarks by Cambodia that it would not extradite former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to Thailand.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said upon arrival in Hua Hin to attend the summit on Friday that he would make Thaksin his economic adviser.

The statement fuels tension in the relation with the Thai government which wanted Thaksin to returnn to Thailand to serve jail term on abuse of power and corruption charges.

The protesters held banners, reading that Hun Sen was not welcomed by Thai people.

Thailand and Cambodia have been at the loggerhead over the disputed area near the Hindu temple for long time but the issue was heated a year ago as it was listed as a world heritage site.

Cambodia, Thai friction mounts at summit

STABLE CONDITION

King Bhumibol appearing in public for the first time since he was hospitalised over a month ago

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Hun Sen says Thaksin can stay in Cambodia as guest and economic adviser

(Hua Hin, Thailand)

CAMBODIA'S Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday offered Thaksin Shinawatra a job as economic adviser.

The comments add to mounting friction between the neighbouring countries that threatens to overshadow a summit of the 10-member Association of South East Nations (Asean) that began yesterday.

Thailand is seeking to extradite the former premier, who is living in self-imposed exile in Dubai, to serve a jail term for corruption.

'Thaksin can stay in Cambodia as the guest of Cambodia and also be my guest as my adviser on our economy,' Mr Hun Sen said in a rare appearance before international journalists, while attending the Asean summit in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin.

He likened Thaksin to pro-democracy icon and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent 14 of the past 20 years under house arrest or in jail in military-ruled Myanmar.

'People talk about Aung San Suu Kyi, why not talk about Thaksin?' said Mr Hun Sen, who described the former telecommunications tycoon on Wednesday as an 'eternal friend' who had a residence in Cambodia waiting for him.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had tough words for Mr Hun Sen, calling him 'seriously misinformed' as the row threatened to overtake other issues at the Asean summit.

'I don't know how many people share his view that Thaksin is like Aung San Suu Kyi. I doubt there are many in the world, for obvious reasons,' Mr Abhisit told a news conference.

'I don't want him to be a victim or a pawn for someone who undermines the interests of this country,' he added. 'I'm sure when he's better informed, he'll change his mind.'

Before yesterday, the Thai government had sought to play down Mr Hun Sen's overtures to Thaksin, saying that it would try to extradite the former tycoon if he ever came to Cambodia.

Mr Hun Sen, however, said that his government would never agree to extraditing Thaksin.

The war of words underlined how Thaksin can still yield considerable influence over Thailand's affairs even from exile.

Six months ago, Thaksin also embarrassed the Thai government when hundreds of his red-shirted supporters broke through security barriers at an Asian summit, forcing some leaders to flee by helicopter and abruptly ending the meeting.

Mr Hun Sen caused a stir earlier this month when he ordered troops to shoot any Thai who crosses illegally into Cambodia, as nationalist tensions mounted over an 11th century temple the two countries have fought over for decades.

And Mr Hun Sen previously threatened to boycott the Hua Hin meeting altogether over the temple.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is considered a moral authority and a unifying figure for Thailand, has been in hospital for more than month.

On Thursday, he appeared in public for the first time since he was hospitalised.

The 81-year-old king's appearance follows a pronouncement by the palace - which had been giving daily updates on his condition - that his health was 'stable'. Wearing a light-blue short-sleeved shirt, King Bhumibol was wheeled in an electric wheelchair into a closed-off area on the ground floor of the hospital in Bangkok to garland the statues of his late parents.

He looked alert and much the same as in previous public appearances. He raised his arm to greet the public as he was wheeled through the hospital corridor.

The Bureau of Royal Household said in a statement late on Wednesday that the king's condition was stable and he was 'physically stronger'. He will continue to take antibiotics, it said.

King Bhumibol checked into Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital on Sept 19 with fever, fatigue and lack of appetite.

Rumours about his health led to a short but sharp sell-off of shares on the Thai stocks last week. -- Reuters, AP

Gov´t Criticizes Rainsy's Paris Peace Accord Celebrations

Written by DAP NEWS -- Saturday, 24 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

A Cambodian Government spok-esman on Friday criticized opposition leader Sam Rainsy over his rejection of celebrations on January 7, the day when Vietnamese troops entered Phnom Penh, effectively ending the Khmer Rouge's control of Cambodia's central Government.

Sam Rainsy on Friday morning marked October 23, the anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords of October 23, 1991. "The only two dates which we have remember and welcome are November 9 as Independence [from France] Day, and October 23 as the Paris Peace Accords."

January 7 is referred to as Victory Day by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).

April 17, 1975 and January 7, 1979 were two events that reflected a bloody victory of Khmers over Khmers, leading to massacres or civil war and/or the loss of national independence and sovereignty following the country's invasion by a foreign occupying force, Sam Rainsy claimed. Information Minister and Gover-nment spokesman Khieu Kahnarith said that "We exactly remember that on October 23, Sam Rainsy cooperated with Khmer Rouge to lead Khmer Rouge leaders to have seats in the Government and [National] Assembly."

If Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had not made efforts to overcome these difficulties, Cambodia would not have achieved safety and stability, the minister added.

"Sam Rainsy made effort to urge Khmer Rouge leaders to sit in the SNC," Khieuv Kahanrith said. "If these people do not cooperate with the Khmer Rouge leaders, Khmer Rouge leaders would not have the right to get aid from overseas."

Cambodia Clarifies Thaksin Extradition Options

Written by DAP NEWS -- Saturday, 24 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Following warning from Thai leaders over the extradition of ex-Thai PM Thaksin if Cambodia allows him to visit, a Cambodian Government spokesman vowed that the fugitive leader would not be extradited to Thailand.

“Cambodia would like to make clear its position that Cambodia will not extradite Thaksin on any request made by the Thai Government if he decides to stay in the Kingdom of Cambodia,” said a Friday Government press statement.

The statement came just a day after the Thai Government threatened to request Cambodia to extradite Thaksin, who is still on the lam from two-year jail term in Thailand, if he should visit Cambodia.

Under Article 3 of Cambodia-Thailand Extradition Agreement singed on July 17, 1999, both parties may reject completely any extradition if: “[The] Requested party see that offense is an item of extradition made by the requesting party as political offense … [or that there is a] clear basis to assume that request extradition made by the requesting party has a goal using anti-criminal measures or practice penalty of an individual is filed complaint in terms of race, religion, nationality, or that individual’s political opinion.”

The Cambodian Government said that Thaksin’s case could be viewed as being politically motivated, noting that the Cambodian Government has the right to interpret the applicability of the exeception.

Prime Minster Hun Sen’s offer to allow Thaksin to stay in Cambodia is a “virtuous gesture” as Prime Minister Hun Sen and Thaksin are “old friends, who shall help each other in a difficult situation and this moral attitude does not necessarily mean that it is an interference in the internal affairs of Thailand,” the statement said.

Thaksin thanked Cambodia’s PM Hun Sen in his twitter feed for welcoming him to the country and having offering to build a home for him. “I have to express deepest thanks to Prime Minister Hun Sen for saying in public that I am his friend. I also would like to thank him for arranging me a house,” Thaksin said on twitter.

Gen. Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, lea- der-in-waiting of Thailand’s opposition Puea Thai Party, has already visi- ted Phnom Penh at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

“The two parties will discuss bilaterally to promote and strengthen between Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) and Puea Thai Party leaders,” a high-ranking Cambodian Government official told DAP News Cambodia.

The Cambodian PM suggested the establishment of a working group. Cambodian Minister of Defense Tea Banh, also a deputy prime minister, will be assigned as a leader of the above working group. A high-ranking military official from the Puea Thai Party will be another leader of the group.

Some analysts asked if cooperation between the premier Hun Sen and Chavalit Yongchaiyuth could be a bid the add further pressure to the Thai Government led by Abhisit, which was elected by a coup back by factions of the Thai army.

South Korea Helps E-Government in Cambodia

Written by DAP NEWS -- Saturday, 24 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The South Korean Government has vowed to help e-government in Cambodia, using high technology to manage and collect data to the benefit of Cambodia, officials said on Friday.

The Cambodian Government and South Korean partners signed an MoU to enhance cooperation over e-government in Cambodia. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An and Choi Khyung Hwan, Minister of Economy and Know-ledge of South Korea, made the agreement to strengthen ICT cooperation.

South Korea will continue to support Cambodia with help e-go- vernment for all provinces, and all Government agencies need to equip modern ICT to manage data and analyse data from provinces, Sok An said after the signing ceremony. “When we have modern technology, we can easily manage land title registration, collect tax … [for] customs, motorcycles and other vehicles,” he said. “All these things will improve the public service of the government and we could minimize the problems of the people in the communities.”

E-government has apparently already been introduced Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk province, and NIDA will work with Cambodia and South Korea to “build the backbone of IT system in provinces.”

The provincial administration informational system (PAIS) will include underground fibre-optic cables for provinces around the Tonle Sap lake, connecting with Phnom Penh.

South Korea and Cambodia have been cooperating closely in integrating digital information into Cambodian Government services, Choi said. “We will continue to work with the Cambodian side to help Cambodian people.”

South Korea has allocated US$29 million for e-government in Cambodia over the next three years, he said.

CEDAC to Organize Organic Rice Federation

Written by DAP NEWS -- Saturday, 24 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) is organizing the 5th National Assembly of the Organic Rice Producers Federation to be held at the CEDAC head office in Phnom Penh on October 26, a press release from CEDAC said on Friday.

The objectives of the National Assembly are to provide understanding the process of community agricultural development, to examine the history of a cooperative in Germany and how it could provide a model for Cambodia, to disseminate a strategy for collecting the upcoming harvest, and to promote and strengthen the understanding of organic rice quality, CEDAC said. Keynote speakers include Dr. Yang Saing Koma, CEDAC president; Mak Seurn, Chief of the Department of Agriculture Extension of MAFF; Dr. Carl Josef Weiers, Senior expert on Cooperatives; the President of the Farmer and Nature Net (FNN); and the National Organic Rice Producers Federation.

Cambodia to Boost Economic Integration with East Asia Summit

Written by DAP NEWS -- Saturday, 24 October 2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The upcoming East Asia Summit will offer financial support to train human resources and financial experts for Cambodians to work with the East Asia countries, a press release from the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) obtained on Saturday said.

“We thank Indian, Chinese and Australian experts in finance and economy for sharing experience with Cambodia on financial matters and strengthening capacity building to work with other countries in East Asia,” Keat Chhon, MEF minister, said in his speech.

Margaret Adamson, Australian ambassador to Cambodia, said Aust- ralia is working with ASEAN countries to help them benefit from the East Asia summit. All of the countries from this region, or those who are G20 members like Australia, must help ASEAN countries, she added. “We see the Australian opportunities for East Asia summit countries, which includes ASEAN countries plus China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia, play a very important role in the wake of the global economic downturn,” she said.

“We see a very great opportunity for East Asia summit countries to have a strong impact on the global agenda for management of financial cooperation and economy and trade cooperation. We are of course a very long standing partner and friend of the countries in this region, of course including Cambodia. And we see that we need capacity building in least developed members of this region in terms of the development of strong financial services and regulatory arrangements, including of course in securities institutions.”

Australia supports the pilot capacity building program for financial institutions in Cambodia, she said, “and we have been enlarging work very closely with the ASEAN secretariat on these issues.”

“I believe financial ministers will meet each other to strengthen the cooperation in region and in East Asia summit has many other meetings including trade and environment ministers,” Adamson said. The Cambodian financial system needs to be strengthened, she added.

The 4th East Asia Summit is to be held on October 24-25 in Thailand during the ASEAN Summit. Coope- ration in five key areas – energy, edu- cation, finance, avian influenza and national disaster mitigation – will be reviewed.

The East Asia Summit will comprise the 10 ASEAN countries as well as Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan and South Korea. The 16-member grouping was established in 2005 in Kuala Lumpur. The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum for dialogue on broad strategic, political and economic issues of common interest and concern with the aim of promoting peace, stability and economic prosperity in East Asia.

It claims to be an open, inclusive, transparent and outward-looking forum, which strives to strengthen global norms and universally recognised values with ASEAN as the driving force working in partnership with the other participants of the East Asia Summit.

The First East Asia Summit was held on December 14, 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia . It was attended by the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN countries, Australia, China, India , Japan, South Korea and New Zealand .

The First India-ASEAN Summit was held in 2002 in Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The meeting in Thailand will review the progres in the growth of the relationship, which began with the launch of India’s “Look East Policy” in 1992.

In his statement, Indian Prime Minister said yesterday that India’s engagement with the 10-nation ASEAN was at the heart of its “Look East” policy.

Hun Sen, Thaksin's eternal friend

Philip Golingai

The Star

Publication Date: 24-10-2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

What can an eternal friend, who happens to be the Cambodian Prime Minister, do to help his self-exiled billionaire politician buddy?

If you were Hun Sen, you would offer to build a beautiful home in Cambodia for Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

In Phnom Penh on Wednesday the Cambodian premier told Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the puu yai (Thai for “senior elder”) of the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai Party, that he was prepared to host Thaksin, who fled Thailand in August 2008 to avoid a two-year jail term on charges of corruption and abuse of power.

“I consider Thaksin as my eternal friend. Cambodia will welcome him to stay here for anytime.

“I make the house available for him at any time if he decides to visit Cambodia,” Hun Sen told reporters after meeting Chavalit.

“Though I’m not Thai, I’m hurt by what has happened to him. My wife even cried on knowing about it and has the idea of building a home for Thaksin to come and stay honourably,” he said.

“We have been great friends since Thaksin was a businessman, and the relationship has remained the same since he entered politics,” Hun Sen said.

In Thaksinlive, Thaksin tweeted in Thai: “I have to express deepest thanks to Prime Minister Hun Sen for saying in public that I am his friend.

“I also would like to thank him for arranging me a house.”

However, Thaksin — who is currently staying in Dubai — did not say whether he would accept Hun Sen’s offer.

In an article yesterday, The Nation reported that relations between Hun Sen and Thaksin go back nearly two decades when the Thai was “an up-and-coming businessman trying to align himself with important people.”

“It started with lucrative business contracts in the area of telecommunications, with the Vietnamese-installed government in Phnom Penh. At the time Hun Sen was top man on the hill,” wrote Don Pathan, The Nation’s foreign editor.

Hun Sen’s invitation to Thaksin came two days before the Asean summit, where Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will be hosting him and other Asian leaders in Hua Hin, Thailand.

A Bangkok Post editorial cartoon yesterday succinctly illustrated the consequence of the undiplomatic invitation: Hun Sen’s right arm warmly welcoming a delighted Thaksin, while his left hand was rudely slapping a flustered Abhisit.

On Thursday, Veera Prateepchaikul, a former Bangkok Post editor, wrote:

“A shrewd politician, the Cambodian prime minister should have realised that his receiving of Chavalit at this juncture and his remark about Thaksin would embarrass if not offend the Thai government, Prime Minister Abhisit in particular.”

“But he didn’t seem bothered and appeared willingly to play into Chavalit’s political game,” he opined in the Bangkok Post.

Ever the statesman, Abhisit on Thursday told journalists he had no hard feelings towards Hun Sen.

The Thai premier said he believed his Cambodian counterpart was mature enough to differentiate matters and had no intention of interfering in Thailand’s internal affairs. He added that he would not raise the matter with Hun Sen during the Asean summit.

However, Abhisit said his government would seek Thaksin’s extradition if he ever set foot in Cambodia.

“Once Thaksin enters Cambodia the extradition process will begin. If Cambodia fails to comply with (the) treaty, that would be another story,” he said.

Don’t bet on that happening.

“If Thaksin decides to come and stay closer to home, he can rest assured it won’t be a walk into a trap,” The Nation opined yesterday.

“First and foremost, the one who invites him and who would be his host is the most powerful man in Cambodia, thus the chance of Thaksin being stabbed in the back and extradited is virtually zero.”

The article continued: “Combine the apparently heartfelt message with Hun Sen’s stormy relations with the current Bangkok leaders, an extradition request should either bounce back to the senders or head straight to diplomatic oblivion.”

Yesterday, Hun Sen’s invitation took a twist.

Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith claimed that it was untrue the Cambodian premier would allow Thaksin to have a permanent home in Cambodia. He added that Hun Sen was misquoted by the media.

Perhaps Thaksin can shed some light on this latest twist in his next tweet.

Safety Violators Targeted

AFP

Cambodian workers leave after their shift at a garment factory in Phnom Penh on July 5, 2008.

Radio Free Asia
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/poisonedworkers-10232009161405.html
2009-10-23

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Cambodia vows to crack down on safety violations by factory owners.

PNHOM PENH—Officials have vowed to crack down on safety violations that endanger factory workers after toxic fumes in a garment factory in Cambodia’s capital sickened hundreds of workers.

The Cambodian Ministry of Labor & Vocational Training allowed World Best Cambodia Co. Ltd. Garment Factory to reopen at its Phnom Penh factory Oct. 14 after more than 400 workers fainted days earlier from inhaling a pesticide.

But Uk Vantha of the Department of Health, Ministry of Labor & Vocational Training, said that the continued operation of the factory depended upon a substantial overhaul of working conditions.

“The factory used a chemical substance in the cloth warehouses, workplace, on the exterior of the factory, workers’ residences, and bathrooms,” Uk Vantha said.

“Additionally, the working environment is inadequate. Water containers are not clean. Toilets at the back of the complex give off a bad smell and the wind blows it into the factory,” he said.

Uk Vantha said factory management must clean the building’s interior, upgrade toilet facilities, ensure no deductions from workers’ salaries, and allow workers who have not fully recovered from the poisoning to rest.

He said the factory will be subject to inspections from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Environment, and local authorities going forward, adding that any factory that disregards Ministry of Labor regulations on the use of toxic substances will be fined.

Fainting from fumes

On Oct. 12, more than 400 workers, mostly women, lost consciousness after inhaling the pesticide at the World Best garment factory in Phnom Penh’s suburban subdistrict of Chaom Chau, in Dangkao district.

The two-year-old factory, which says it employs around 1,500 garment workers, was forced to suspend operations for one day after the incident to rid the premises of remaining chemical vapors.

Factory worker Nou Mom, 36, who received emergency treatment at a hospital in Phnom Penh, said she had recovered.

“I was seriously poisoned, but I’m feeling better following an infusion,” Nou Mom said.

“First we smelled something from the poison on the cloth and then we felt with a dizzy,” she said, recalling the events of Oct. 12.

Unknown substance

Another worker who identified herself as Nary, 21, said that while she was recovering, she was still experiencing side effects.

“I’m just now getting better. It’s just a bit difficult for me to breathe and I feel nauseated,” she said.

Pok Vantha, director of the Department of Health, Ministry of Labor & Vocational Training, oversaw an investigation into the incident, which he attributed to the use of powerful pesticides.

Operations have returned to normal, he said, and added that the ministry has issued a statement to other factories providing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“Factory directors have already been advised. Their management has been corrected,” he said.

Pok Vantha said the chemical that caused the sickness was a poison used on mice, ants, cockroaches, and other pests.

But he said that the name of the substance and how much of it had been used was unknown.

“We have advised [factory] directors to apply technical standards,” Pok Vantha said.

Sen Kunthea, human resources director at World Best Cambodia Co., Ltd., said the situation at the factory had been resolved and most workers were back on the job.

“Operations have resumed…95 percent of those who had fainted are now back at work,” Kunthea said.

“A pest exterminator company sprayed poison in the factory, but experts now say it is completely gone,” she said.

Future precautions

Labor activist Chea Mony said the Ministry of Labor & Vocational Training should be vigilant in preventing such an incident from happening again.

Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, also called for a thorough follow-up of the company’s products to ensure no one else might be affected.

Clothing produced at the factory “may still contain strong chemicals,” Chea Mony said.

Trina Tocco, deputy director at International Labor Rights Forum in Washington, said management at World Best Cambodia Co., Ltd. needs to implement a transparent process to deal with the situation in both immediately and in the long term.

“Did the factory take responsibility for paying for the medical expenses as caused by this incident...You don’t want this coming out of worker’s paychecks which often times medical [costs] do,” Tocco said.

She said that inadequate documentation of the incident could lead to questionable long-term impacts and continued problems for workers.

“The factory may try to say, ‘This had nothing to do with what happened at work,’ thereby denying that claim and putting that worker into poverty.”

Tocco also called on the company’s management to educate their workforce about the chemical they had been exposed to, as well as the establishment of an independent body to monitor their health.

“The other part is identifying whether there is any independent analysis of what is going on to make sure that there is somebody thinking about it from the workers’ perspective, instead of just hushing things,” Tocco said.

“Initiate some sort of process with local civil society or independent doctors where they could do some sort of check up on workers that isn’t connected with some of the bureaucracy of the government,” she advised.

Officials haven’t said what poison was used at the factory, but inspectors have said it wasn’t applied properly.

World Best Cambodia Co., Ltd. is owned by Oknha Srey Sothea, a businessman said to have close ties to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party.

Tough times for garment workers

Garment workers at the World Best Cambodia Co., Ltd. factory aren't alone suffering from chemical toxins in the workplace.

Last September in Phnom Penh, 69 workers at the Morea Garment Factory and 24 workers at the Golden Mile Factory also fainted from inhaling poison fumes.

In addition, Cambodia’s workers have faced tough economic times as the country’s garment factories—a major employer and exporter in this impoverished country—are forced to close in the face of a worldwide economic slump.

The garment industry accounts for some two-thirds of Cambodia's export revenues and employs nearly 360,000 people, mostly women making less than U.S. $100 a month.

Some 73 factories in Phnom Penh were closed in 2008, putting 224,000 people out of work. In 2007, Cambodia enjoyed exceptional economic growth on the back of a thriving garment industry. But just one year later, more than 30 garment factories were closed, leaving thousands jobless.

Original reporting by Sok Serey for RFA’s Khmer service. Khmer service director: Sos Kem. Translated by Uon Chhin. Written for the Web in English by Joshua Lipes. Edited by Sarah Jackson-Han.

Hun Sen, Abhisit start summit war of words

Published: 24/10/2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

CHA-AM : A war of words between the Thai and Cambodian leaders has erupted as Southeast Asian leaders begin talks at the Asean summit aimed at fostering ties among 10 members.

The conflict centred on deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday offered his country as a temporary home for him.

Hun Sen reaffirmed his position yesterday and went even further by saying Thaksin could become Phnom Penh's economic adviser.

Hun Sen also indirectly compared Thaksin to Burmese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and said he considered Thaksin to be a victim of the 2006 military coup.

"What is the purpose of Prime Minister Hun Sen coming to Thailand?" said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in a press conference held after his Cambodian counterpart spoke to reporters. "And what has he said that was in line with the aim of the meeting?"

The prime minister said Asean emphasised building a stronger community with unity.

"(Asean) has no time to pay attention to a person who wants to destroy Asean unity. And I hope Prime Minister Hun Sen will receive the right information and change his mind on the matter."

Mr Abhisit countered his Cambodian counterpart's remarks made shortly after arriving in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi to attend the summit.

"Many people are talking about Mrs Suu Kyi of Burma. Why can't I talk about the victim, Thaksin?" said Hun Sen. "That cannot be regarded as interference by Cambodia into Thai internal affairs," he said.

"Without the coup d'etat in 2006, such a thing would not have happened," he added.

The Cambodian leader made clear his government will not send Thaksin back to serve his jail term in Thailand if he stays on Cambodian soil.

Article 3 of the extradition treaty between Thailand and Cambodia says that the country asked to extradite someone has the legal grounds to absolutely reject any extradition if it considers the request involves a political offence, he said.

Prior to his arrival in Thailand, the Cambodian government issued a statement outlining the decision by Hun Sen over his offer to Thaksin.

"Allowing Mr Thaksin to stay in Cambodia is reflecting the virtuous behaviour of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is Thaksin's long time friend.

"This virtuous attitude is not interpreted as interference in Thailand's internal affairs," said the statement obtained by the Bangkok Post.

Hun Sen said he was not interfering in Thailand's problems.

"This is just moral support from me. As one million Thai people of the red shirt group support Thaksin, why can't I, as a friend from afar, support Thaksin?" said the Cambodian leader.

Problems in Thailand should be solved by Thais, he added.

Mr Abhisit, however, argued that Hun Sen might have got the wrong information about Thaksin who could not be compared with Mrs Suu Kyi.

"There are few people in the world who believe (the case of) Thaksin is similar to that of Mrs Suu Kyi," Mr Abhisit said. "I don't know where he got the information."

The case of Mrs Suu Kyi was a resolution where Asean had a common stance and it could not be compared with Thaksin's, he said, apparently referring to the Asean statement calling for the release of the Burmese opposition leader.

Mr Abhisit said the Cambodian government should not say in advance that it would not extradite Thaksin if he takes refuge in Cambodia.

"It is a process from both sides to prove if the case is a matter of politics or corruption," said Mr Abhisit.

Hun Sen should "think carefully" and focus on bilateral relations and benefits to the two countries, Mr Abhisit said, adding: "I hope I will have a chance to make him understand."

CBRE spots opportunity in Cambodia

Published: 24/10/2009

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

PHNOM PENH : CB Richard Ellis Group Inc (CBRE) is opening a new office in Phnom Penh to expand its footprint in Southeast Asia. The company aims to capitalise on growing demand for professional real estate services and is also planning ahead to serve the market on Cambodia's southern coast.

"The opening of an office in Cambodia will allow CBRE to provide research, consultancy, valuation and advisory services in the country and will strengthen our broader platform in Southeast Asia," said Daniel Parkes, country manager of CBRE Cambodia.

He said land prices in Cambodia had eased back from the sharp rises experienced since 2005. The market could be compared to Thailand, in particular Bangkok in the late 1980s, and Vietnam in the early 1990s - with a lot of potential for growth, few modern developments but latent demand.

The good news, he said, is that the government is very pro-investment and is offering a tax cap of 20%. It already offers 99-year leases to foreigners and is considering full foreign freehold.

Cambodia's Council of Ministers in July approved a sub-decree covering new co-ownership regulations, allowing legal ownership of individual apartments or condominium units, which paves the way for a law allowing foreign ownership of some property.

The new co-ownership regulations will make it possible to own units within a larger building without having title to the land it occupies. The goal is to guarantee and protect rights of legal holders in apartments or condominiums for co-ownership. It will also facilitate management on behalf of co-owners who live in the apartments or condominiums.

As well, the new regulations facilitate co-ownership for sale, exchange, donation, inheritance, permanent rental and collateralising of private holdings as personal ownership.

Foreigners have not been able to own Cambodian land or housing in the past. They could only rent property for their business or residence. Also, foreigners cannot buy land near borders with neighbouring countries because it could affect national sovereignty and security.

"The market is not without challenges and is coming off a low base," said Mr Parkes. "There is no doubt that per-capita income in Phnom Penh is continuing to improve, with a surprisingly high number of private cars, trucks and bikes.

"Inbound retailers, while they lack a modern centre, are enjoying good business - for example, pizza franchises. There is only one modern high-rise office, Canadia Tower, which is soon to be completed. Projected rents are comparable to those of Bangkok's Grade A space."

In 2008, the GDP of Cambodia reached $9.2 billion, with tourism contributing $1.72 billion. Culture has played a key role in Cambodia in the past three decades and has created many jobs. From 2000 to 2008, GDP per capita in Cambodia increased by 158% from $286.90 to $739.

Take-up of industrial property is slow but major global companies are already buying land for assembly and manufacturing facilities, said Mr Parkes. There is also a fledgling condominium market and Korean developers have been active. There has also been a boom in new villas, with prices of up to $1 million each.

Chris Brooke, president and chief executive officer of CBRE in Asia, said the company's presence in the market would facilitate the provision of professional property services, while also supporting regional clients who have an interest in a unique emerging market.

As the capital, Phnom Penh has become a major focal point for economic and business development in recent years, said Mr Brooke. This region offers enormous business potential for further growth of domestic and foreign businesses.

In particular, backed by investment resulting from positive sentiment, Cambodia's real estate market is expected to continue its growth momentum in the years to come, particularly the resort property market along the coastline.

In the future CBRE will consider a resort office on the south coast, with the opening of the Ream airport, said Mr Parkes.

The company already has two major contracts. It is the sole agent for marketing exclusive villas on a private island, which are priced from $200,000 and come with hotel management and guaranteed returns. The company also has a key advisory role for Koh Rong, an island being positioned as an eco-tourism destination and a potential rival to Phuket and Koh Samui in Thailand.

Korea to help Cambodia launch mobile TV service

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

The Korean government said Friday that it has reached an agreement with Cambodia to help the Southeast Asian country launch a land-based mobile television service, Yonhap said.

The agreement was reached between the broadcasting regulators of the two nations in Cambodia, where South Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited as part of the second leg of a three-nation Southeast Asian tour.

Under the agreement, Cambodia plans to start the mobile TV service by the end of this year, using new technology developed in Korea that offers crystal-clear definition for displays on mobile devices, according to the Korea Communications Commission.

Thaksin should have no fear as Hun Sen's house guest

http://news.asiaone.com/

Fri, Oct 23, 2009

The Nation/Asia News Network

(Posted by CAAI News Media)

Thaksin should have no fear as Hun Sen's house guest.

Bangkok's threat to invoke both countries' extradition treaty once Thaksin sets foot on Cambodian soil, however, may not scare anyone.

If Thaksin, who thanked Hun Sen in a Twitter message but stopped short of elaborating his future plans, decides to come and stay closer to home, he can rest assured it won't be a walk into a trap.

First and foremost, the one who invites him and who would be his host is the most powerful man in Cambodia, thus the chance of Thaksin being stabbed in the back and extradited is virtually zero. Hun Sen's message following his meeting Wednesday with Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, Thaksin's virtual representative, left no doubt about whether the Cambodian leader is the man Thaksin can trust.

Hun Sen talked about great friendship dating back to the days Thaksin was just a businessman, about how his [Hun Sen's] wife cried over Thaksin's political misfortune, and about how much the first Cambodian couple would love to give the ousted Thai leader a "home that deserves his honour".

Combine the apparently heart-felt message with Hun Sen's stormy relations with the current Bangkok leaders, an extradition request should either bounce back to the senders or head straight to a diplomatic oblivion.

The countries' extradition treaty does not oblige them to send back someone like Thaksin as long as he can be deemed a political victim in his own country.

The legal agreement is like most other extradition treaties in essence. It says extraditable offences are punishable under the laws of the two countries by the penalty of imprisonment for a period of more than one year or by any heavier penalty.

"The Contracting Parties undertake to extradite to each other, in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, persons found in the territory of one of the Contracting Parties who are wanted for prosecution, trial or for the imposition or execution of punishment in the territory of the other Party for an extraditable offence," the treaty says.

If the above article can make Thaksin squirm, there exists another article that is likelier to come into play.

According to Article 3, extradition will not be granted when:

"The Requested Party considers the offence for which the request for extradition is made by the Requesting Party as a political offence.. ...

"(Or) The Requested Party has well-founded reasons to suppose that the request aims to institute criminal proceedings against or execute punishment upon the person sought on account of race, religion, nationality or political opinion of that person, or that the position of the person sought in judicial proceedings will be prejudiced for any of the reasons mentioned above.

"(Or) The offence for which the request for extradition is made is exclusively an offence under military law of the Requesting Party and does not constitute an offence under criminal law of that contracting party."

On the surface, it's in favour of Thaksin, but he will have to read the above very carefully, especially because he was convicted under a law that has been in existence long before the military coup that ousted him. Then again, while those letters could be a cause for concern, Hun Sen has all but said Thaksin shouldn't be scared. -The Nation/Asia News Network