Pm Hopes To Turn Tables With New Request

[webfact]

FIGHTER VS BOXER

PM hopes to turn tables with new request

By The Nation

Published on November 12, 2009

Slams Chavalit for worsening political tension

Their styles have become obvious now: if Hun Sen is a fighter, Abhisit Vejjajiva is a boxer.

After Bangkok's extradition request for ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra was rejected virtually on its arrival in Phnom Penh yesterday morning, the Thai prime minister played it cool. The document will be resubmitted after a legal review, and all the while the Thai government will be hoping that the Thaksin saga will in the end prove to be a bigger embarrassment for the Thai fugitive's host.

Abhisit also threatened a further review of Thai assistance to Cambodia, but it was clear Bangkok would try its best not to let this degenerate into a street-fighting version of diplomacy.

Cambodia's wild punches have hit Thailand below the belt. Its stern reply to the extradition request was basically that Phnom Penh would never return to Thailand a victim of political persecution who had "overwhelmingly" won democratic elections here.

Abhisit smiled after Thailand's request was thrown out as soon as it was submitted to Cambodian authorities.

"The Foreign Ministry will have the document reviewed by the Office of the Attorney-General for relevant legal points. It's said Cambodia did not follow the international practices," the prime minister said.

He said his government would have to make a further study of cooperation projects between the countries, in addition to the measures agreed by the Cabinet on Tuesday. Those include scrapping of a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia made during the Thaksin administration about an overlapping maritime area.

The PM said there would be no closure of the border between the countries, but that authorities would take tougher measures with Thai gamblers playing at Cambodian casinos.

"In fact, we have not been sufficiently strict about this matter," he said, while dismissing the possibility that the use of force would be required.

Abhisit said Thaksin should have been aware that he was causing renewed conflict between the countries. "Many things that the former prime minister did over the past few days affected the feelings of Thais," he added.

"He caused the problem that he must be aware of. What he does is not something other Thais would do," said the prime minister.

He also blamed Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for the rising tensions.

"I thought that he had come back to politics to help with reconciliation. He went on an overseas trip just once and he has caused a [big] problem and conflict between the two countries," Abhisit said of the Pheu Thai Party's new chairman.

Thailand's charge d'affaires in Phnom Penh arrived at the Cambodian Foreign Ministry at about 8.30am, but had to wait for two hours before he could actually hand the extradition request to an apparently junior Cambodian official.

Two hours later, the Cambodian government gave its official response.

Thaksin's prosecution, the reply said, was a consequence of the 2006 coup. It stated, in upper case for em-phasis, that "he was OVERWHELMINGLY and DEMOCRATICALLY elected by the Thai people".

"This response letter is enough to tell [Thailand] that there will be no extradition," Hun Sen said at a televised press conference alongside Thaksin in Phnom Penh.

-- The Nation 2009/11/12

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[IvanDobsky]

It was a bit naive of Thailand to request extradition from Hun Sen. Perhaps it was a necessary political prelude to some further action(?)

Hun Sen has even sold part of his own country to Vietnam and grown rich cutting down the remainder of Cambodia's forest. The majority of the population live in poverty that makes the poorest Isan farmers look affluent. If you've ever traveled around the Cambodian countryside, you would know this.

My point is Hun Sen and his cronies have grown rich on foreign aid and their countries resources while the rest of the population live in squalor. What exactly is Mr T's role here? Adviser to exploit something they missed?

[givenall]

I think Abhisit will do the right thing about this fiasco and at the end the Thai people and the world will see the true face of the Cambodia PM and how stupid childish he really is. Also may be finally all Mr. T supporter will really see him as he really is

[pedro01]

The Thai govt didn't expect Thaksin to be extadited from Cambodia at all.

[animatic]

It was not naive to make the request, they no doubt new the answer before the official request was sent out.

Naive is a young girl believing the boy friend will pull out soon enough.

No one would believe that from Hun Sen in a million years... with him your just gonna be ....

It is proper form to send the request out, to where a suspect is KNOWN to be.

It was by proper diplomatic channels and only serves to show up Hun Sen on

the international stage for what HE is, a national leader who ignores the

proper order between nations, again and again.

There is no legal reason to NOT nullify the MOU, since clearly on

other diplomacy related subjects there is no UNDERSTANDING.

Hun Sen has thrown out the international understanding to send suspects back,

and as a neighbor he should for good relations have done it, and may yet

if he sees benefit to it. Thaksin beware...

Abhisit is doing things by the book in a measured fashion, there is no ignoring this

Thaksin related issue, because Dr. T. is purposely making it an international political issue.

Hun Sen is playing along, because of cash incentives, no doubt, but also it makes him

look tough, in the 'Asian Strong Man' mold and that is his home demographic.

Thaksin's money is closer and closer to being on the chopping block and he is growing,

more and more reckless in his desire to bring down Abhisit and his enemies.

But he also keeps shooting himself in the foot with his mouth...

Stay tuned it will be a bumpy ride.

Edited November 12, 2009 by animatic

[hammered]

Not sure where to post this but Shawn Crispin has a new piece up at Asia Times which covers the poltical and military angles. As always worth a read imho:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KK12Ae01.html

[WinnieTheKhwai]

"Doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different outcome" is a symptom of something.

[Kitsch22]

"Doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different outcome" is a symptom of something.

Religion?

[phupaman]

Winnie.

Doing things right as layed down in law help's the Judges decide who is right and who is wrong at sometime in the future.

phupaman

[xminator]

Winnie.

Doing things right as layed down in law help's the Judges decide who is right and who is wrong at sometime in the future.

phupaman

I seriously doubt "right" and "wrong" is even in the equation.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

"Doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different outcome" is a symptom of something.

Religion?

Same same.

[baht&sold]

"Doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different outcome" is a symptom of something.

Thaksin's megalomania?

With due respect Whinnie, even moderately informed people are well aware

Mr Thaksin is a crook, doesn't give a toss about poor people in reality

and everything he does and says appears 100% self-serving. So what gives?

Defending Mr Thaksin appears to be a full-time 'job' for some...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

"Birds of a feather ... "