Cambodia Expels Thai Embassy's First Secretary

[george]

Cambodia expels Thai embassy's first secretary

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA: -- Thai and Cambodian diplomatic flares again Thursday after Cambodia expels a first secretary of Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia's Foreign Ministry ordered one of the Thai Embassy's the first secretaries to leave the country within 48 hours, starting from 5pm.

Learning of the order, the Thai side countered by expelling the first secretary of the Cambodian Embassy in Phnom Penh and ordering him to leave the country within 48 hours, starting from 5pm, said Thai government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn.

-- The Nation 2009-11-12

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[ratcatcher]

Someone should tell The Nation and the Thai Government that the Cambodian Embassy is in Bangkok.

Where's the Monty Python team when you need 'em? This would be a cracker.

Who's court is the ball in now?

[jayjayjayjay]

Someone should tell The Nation and the Thai Government that the Cambodian Embassy is in Bangkok.

Someone should tell the Nation to shut down. Waste of time reading this publication!

And someone should tell Abhisit that playing kindergarten games will end his PM rule as an embarrassing period of Thai politics. I have limited respect for him as a person, his principles and attempts to run the administration, but being led by the nose in this cross boarder political tit-for-tat is going to be his swan song....... he will be remembered, not for the right reasons.

Edited November 12, 2009 by jayjayjayjay

[awd]

This is truly an embarrassing attempt at journalism. An English speaker might want to try Seth Mydans latest column in the NY Times to get a better feel for what is happening.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Ah.. I can see where this is going.

Five little ducks

Went out one day

Over the hill and far away

Mother duck said

"Quack, quack, quack, quack."

But only four little ducks came back.

And they'll end up with an empty embassy. Really mature guys, on both sides..

[TAWP]

Someone should tell The Nation and the Thai Government that the Cambodian Embassy is in Bangkok.

Someone should tell the Nation to shut down. Waste of time reading this publication!

And someone should tell Abhisit that playing kindergarten games will end his PM rule as an embarrassing period of Thai politics. I have limited respect for him as a person, his principles and attempts to run the administration, but being led by the nose in this cross boarder political tit-for-tat is going to be his swan song....... he will be remembered, not for the right reasons.

I notice that you don't share the same words for Thaksin or Hun Sen, that by all accounts started this latest sandbox game by expelling the secretary...why is that?

You are going 'fair and balanced' I presume.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Can I get some praise for being fair and balanced this time please?

[TAWP]

Can I get some praise for being fair and balanced this time please?

Good Khwai, keep it up. ;D

[gotlost]

[basjke]

I suggest anyone who has to do a visa run in the near future to keep a plan B in mind.

[Soutpeel]

Interestingly enough the honourable first secretary got 48 hours to leave the country, which is a bit more than somebody gets on an extension of stay based on working in Thailand...may be the honourable first secretary should apply for a 7 day extension at THB 1900 to get his affairs in order

[BanTamo]

Sorry you Kwai, but you left out Chavalit. No gold star for you this time!

[IvanDobsky]

if they're going to act like children (no disrespect meant kids), can't they at least make it more interesting? I'd like to read 'Cambodia expels Chef' and 'Thailand retaliates by expelling receptionist'. Mind you, if this continues until the end of the year, we might be reading it eventually.

[george]

Cambodia, Thailand expel diplomats

BANGKOK: The Thai government on Thursday gave a senior Cambodian diplomat in Bangkok 48 hours to leave the kingdom after Cambodia expelled a Thai embassy official from its country.

Mr Panitan Wattanayakorn, acting Thai government spokesman, said that at 5pm Thursday the Cambodian government asked Thai first secretary to Phnom Penh Kamrob Palawatwichai to leave Cambodia within 48 hours without any reason.

Mr Panitan said therefore the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to ask the Cambodian first secretary to Bangkok to leave Thailand within 48 hours, in retaliation.

"This is a sad matter because Thailand is trying to avoid any effect on the relations of the two countries," said the Thai government spokesman. "As Cambodia had made such a diplomatic move, Thailand is obliged to proceed in similar diplomatic action."

Mr Panitan said that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been informed about the matter, but no additional order has been given.

However, according to French news agency Agent France Presse (AFP), Cambodia's foreign affairs ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said his government expelled the Thai diplomat because "he had carried out an undisclosed activity in contradiction to his position."

The Thai government is trying to maintain the same level of diplomatic ties with Cambodian government, the Thai government spokesman said, adding that until now it is not necessary to close the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

He said that Cambodia’s latest move will not worsen the Thai-Cambodian situation as recalling diplomats is considered a normal diplomatic measure in finding appropriate solutions to the problem.

Meanwhile Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya, interviewed by telephone while attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Singapore, said he will return to Thailand Thursday night to meet with the premier over the latest Cambodian move.

"The problem is caused by Cambodia and should be ended by Cambodia," said the Thai foreign minister. "Thailand has done nothing wrong but the matter is caused by the former premier Thaksin Shinawatra."

Mr Kasit asserted that the Thai government will not tolerate for the issue, but will give time for Cambodia to reconsider and fight with facts.

The diplomatic spat between Thailand and Cambodia flared up when the Cambodian government appointed the former Thai premier as its economic adviser.

Thailand reacted by recalling its ambassador to Phnom Penh and revoking a memorandum of understanding over the overlapping maritime boundaries by Thailand and Cambodia signed in 2001.

The Cambodian government shunned Thailand's retaliatory move, withdrawing its ambassador to Bangkok as a reciprocal action and handing over an already prepared note flatly rejecting Thailand's request to extradite Mr Thaksin only minutes after Thai diplomats presented the extradition papers to officials at Cambodia's foreign affairs ministry Wednesday morning.

-- TNA 2009-11-12

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Yoshitaka]

"He said that Cambodia’s latest move will not worsen the Thai-Cambodian situation as recalling diplomats is considered a normal diplomatic measure in finding appropriate solutions to the problem."

I wonder who said that?

[ballzafire]

I hope Cambo gets "deTaksified".

Fast.

[mca]

Cambodia's foreign affairs ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said his government expelled the Thai diplomat because "he had carried out an undisclosed activity in contradiction to his position."

He'd given a westerner a full year's visa extension for Thailand without asking for an extra piece of paperwork that isn't actually required according to the Immigration website list.

Edited November 12, 2009 by mca

[PoorSucker]

Chavalit started this shit.

Hu Sen just went with it.

Mr T. wanted this split.

This everyone must emit.

[alex_aka_P]

Say BYE-BYE to all the tourists, after they see such of news about such of problems in the place where they planned to have New Year holidays.

Say BYE-BYE to all cross-border tourists who had plans to see Thailand and Angor\PNH within one travel.

Once again, say BYE-BYE to a huge piece of cake called "peak season's arricvals".

Say it in fifth time, annually (SARS/birdflus/cups/airports/Toxins/etc....). It is becaming a tradition now, so who f..g cares.

Bravo, Thai politicians! Please keep going same way. It makes your country richer and safer year by year, and keeps people united stronger and stronger - indeed.

PS: Ah, I forgot...when will be next pre-noticed crackdown, or never-realized-hub-planning?

Id.ots. Simply id.ots. :D

[Publicus]

Say BYE-BYE to all the tourists, after they see such of news about such of problems in the place where they planned to have New Year holidays.

Say BYE-BYE to all cross-border tourists who had plans to see Thailand and Angor\PNH within one travel.

Once again, say BYE-BYE to a huge piece of cake called "peak season's arricvals".

Say it in fifth time, annually (SARS/birdflus/cups/airports/Toxins/etc....). It is becaming a tradition now, so who f..g cares.

Bravo, Thai politicians! Please keep going same way. It makes your country richer and safer year by year, and keeps people united stronger and stronger - indeed.

PS: Ah, I forgot...when will be next pre-noticed crackdown, or never-realized-hub-planning?

Id.ots. Simply id.ots.

What's worse about it, they don't care.

[alex_aka_P]

What's worse about it, they don't care.

Ha! Have you read that "Tourism in Thailand has recovered!" post from one of those "in charge of a Country"?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-s-T...ve-t311581.html

Well, it is about to obsolete now (even the news was not true anyway).

But yes - nobody cares...

[TAWP]

Unless Cambodia does something really stupid, this will not affect tourist-numbers.

[Publicus]

Unless Cambodia does something really stupid, this will not affect tourist-numbers.

There already are reports in the news agencies posted to this board that tourism has been negatively affected. Among tourist sites already affected is Angkor Wat, a regular tourist destination to include tourists visits as part of package tours in Thailand.

Tourism in the South will be far less affected, but this new back and forth certainly doesn't help in general and is biting now in the Northeast. This adds to the steady and consistent decline of a major industry in LOS, for which we can thank the Dear former Leader presently in Cambodia who is denouncing the Thai government while on an absolutely non political visit there.

P.S. I seem to be the only one recently who's still referring to Thailand as the LOS. This item comes from the department of food for thought.

Edited November 12, 2009 by Publicus

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Agreed; it for sure isn't helping tourism either in Thailand or Cambodia.. When they could be joining forces and make it easier to visit both countries on the same trip; typically people who visit Angkor will then spend most of their time and money on a Thai beach somewhere. It's just unfortunate on all sides.

[baht&sold]

It's just unfortunate on all sides.

But fortunate for Mr Thaksin, all going exactly to plan it appears. If Thai and Cambo people lose in his latest self-serving exercise = Mr Thaksin 'wins', so mai pen rai.

Add in as a mere appetizer, future Koh Kong plush resorts, golf, casino's and Cambo gas rites which all beckon in the HS 'bargain'.

Still, the main course of replenishment of offshore accounts via return to autocratic rule remains Mr Thaksin's illusive piece de resistance...

Edited November 12, 2009 by baht&sold

[WinnieTheKhwai]

More rumour mongering from The Nation.. Two separate rumours even, both completley without source or rationale.

Never mind Abhisit or Thaksin or Hun Sen, I think some people at this newspaper are losing it!

-----------

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/11/13...cs_30116522.php

" Known as Cambodia's "Wild West" with its corrupt immigration officials, visa scams, crooked cops, prostitutes, illegal logging and gambling, Koh Kong could gain new notoriety if Thaksin Shinawatra's ambitious development plans go ahead. "

"Would Koh Kong become a virtual government in exile or will it become "Thaksin's Singapore"? Thai intelligence is paying serious attention to all such rumours."

----------

( Scams, crooked cops, prostitues. .... Unlike places like Pattaya one must assume. )

And so on and so forth.. And some people are paying real money to be fed this stuff daily.

Edited November 12, 2009 by WinnieTheKhwai

[TAWP]

No it is not going to help the tourist numbers, but on a large scale it isn't going to do much at all. One caveat is that I am talking about western tourists, not regional ones, and I understand that that could lead to some confusement. Sorry for that. This event is, luckily, not broadcasted much back in the west and people aren't really afraid of talking dummies. Shootings and looting in the street however...

Most tourists from my region back home all visit the typical tourist-places that including beaches as their primary focus. One less temple will not make them alter their trip.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

No it is not going to help the tourist numbers, but on a large scale it isn't going to do much at all. One caveat is that I am talking about western tourists, not regional ones, and I understand that that could lead to some confusement. Sorry for that. This event is, luckily, not broadcasted much back in the west and people aren't really afraid of talking dummies.

That's what I thought. So I was surprised last Wednesday in a conference call with a US based customer (not even coastal US) that they remarked "So.. are you guys going to war yet? " It was in jest, but it does mean they got the news.

[baht&sold]

One less temple will not make them alter their trip.

This could have been a quote from Mr Thaksin's some time lawyer Mr Noppadon, then 'acting' as Foreign Minister in Mr Thaksin's 'alleged' proxy Samak govt. Mr Noppadon 'gratefully' took the bullet after delivering illegal rushing through of agreeing with Cambodia on Preah Vihear temple 'allegedly' to side with the wishes of his boss (again 'allegedly' for past, present and more lucrative future Cambo concessions;)

Edited November 12, 2009 by baht&sold

[baht&sold]

And some people are paying real money to be fed this stuff daily.

Real money Whinnie? Feeding daily defense of Mr Thaksin you mean? Must be a full time 'job' for some.... (?)

The hours may be <deleted> and rife but the pay must be well 'worthy'

Edited November 12, 2009 by baht&sold