Hun Sen Won't Let Thaksin Visit While Red-Shirts Protest: Suthep

[webfact]

Hun Sen won't let Thaksin visit while reds protest: Suthep

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Hua Hin

HUA HIN: -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had vowed not to allow former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to visit Cambodia during the red shirt protest, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday.

Hun Sen, whose country downgraded relations with Thailand since the appointment of Thaksin as his economic adviser in October last year, is in Thailand for the mekong River Commission summit in Hua Hin.

Suthep made a courtesy call on Hun Sen on the sidelines of the summit yesterday, to wish him a happy birthday and discuss bilateral relations.

Relations between Hun Sen and Thaksin were personal, he said later, and the Cambodian premier would not allow them to jeopardise mutual interests of the two countries.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen told me to let bygones be bygones and move forward to the future to restore relations of the two countries," Suthep told reporters.

"Our countries are neighbors which cannot move away from each other. The border will be no problem and relations of people along the border will improve," he said.

Hun Sen's latest message was contrary to his previous stance, which was strongly opposed the current government under Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Diplomatic relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been downgraded as both sides recalled their respective ambassadors after the Cambodian PM appointed the fugitive former Thai PM.

The appointment of Thaksin created a bilateral crisis for the the two countries. But relations had already soured due to the border conflict over land near the historic Hindu temple at Preah Vihear.

Thaksin visited Cambodia twice since Hun Sen made him an economic adviser. The Thai government responded by reviewing cooperation projects, including maritime deals and financial assistance for a road upgrade after Phnom Penh rejected a Thai request to extradite Thaksin.

Thaksin's visit to Cambodia had political implications for Thailand due to his proximity to the red shirt group and possible moves to try to oust Abhisit's administration.

Suthep said that Hun Sen understood the implications of Thaksin visiting his country and would not allow him in while the red shirts protest, as some Thais may "misunderstand" that Hun Sen was letting Thaksin use Cambodia as a base for moves against the Thai government.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen told me that Cambodian constitution also bars anybody from using the country as a political base against other countries," Suthep said.

Asked if Prime Minister Hun Sen was sincere, given the verbal attack he launched against the Thai government recently, Suthep said the mood of the Cambodian leader had changed and he now he insisted that Thaksin was a normal economic adviser, with no political agenda in his appointment.

Suthep is one of just a few senior Thai officials among the Abhisit government on good terms with Hun Sen.

The Cambodian PM had no formal bilateral meeting with Abhisit on this two-day stay for the MRC summit but met with Suthep in a private capacity.

"He invited me to have a meal at his residence in Phnom Penh whenever I am free from the red shirt protest at home," Suthep said.

-- The Nation 2010-04-05

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[SomTumTiger]

A very big rat just flees the S.S. Thak-tanic. Going, going...

[RickBradford]

Hun Sen must want something.

Perhaps someone gave him a map showing that Cambodia is downstream the Mekong from Thailand, and Suthep had a quiet word about dam projects.

[givenall]

Hun Sen must want something.

Perhaps someone gave him a map showing that Cambodia is downstream the Mekong from Thailand, and Suthep had a quiet word about dam projects.

The world is shrinking around Thaksin

[Jingthing]

Great news. Clearly an cynical opportunist and now smells that Thaksin and the reds are rapidly self destructing.

[whatawonderfulday]

And you trust what Hun sen say ? or what it is claimed he say more like it !

[tomyummer]

I think the Chinese zodiac calendar is wrong. Is it the Year of the Rat now? Or Snake?

The Hun is up to something. Must be to quell the border-issue statement made by one of his soldiers about the Thai soldiers leaving to deal with the red shirts in Bangkok?

From what I know it seems at least Lee Kuan Yew made his country into something. On a zig-zag or not, at least he got the country on course and in focus for the benefit as a whole. It's also welcoming for foreigners (sans drug traffickers). Forget the other ASEAN countries. No order whatsoever, only personal gain for each and fleecing of foreigners.

[kuffki]

Plain and simple politics

Possibly Thaksin did not keep his word in regards to something or screwed Hun Sen over some business deal.

Or , may be even Hun Sen got a call or email from another country telling him to back off

Edited April 5, 2010 by kuffki

[tomyummer]

Plain and simple politics

Possibly Thaksin did not keep his word in regards to something or screwed Hun Sen over some business deal.

Or , may be even Hun Sen got a call or email from another country telling him to back off

Or maybe he's worried about his AIS stock holdings?

[hammered]

Hun Sen is a clever poltical operator and everything he does is for his advantage. Why is he now hedging his bets if not actually deciding to back a different horse? Any answer will only be found in Cambodian poltics or Thailand-Cambodia deals.

The previous spat with Thailand turned attention away from Vietnamese land grabbign along the other border and enabled the oppositon party to be beheaded. This time... guess we will see

[kuffki]

Plain and simple politics

Possibly Thaksin did not keep his word in regards to something or screwed Hun Sen over some business deal.

Or , may be even Hun Sen got a call or email from another country telling him to back off

Or maybe he's worried about his AIS stock holdings?

A change could be a number of reasons, which we will never know. As i said plain politics.

However it is a positive change in the attitude for Thailand at the moment. So the government should use it to their advantage while it can.

This kind of change, is an excellent example/propaganda to show Reds(people) that even Hun Sen does not want Thaksin and does not support their action.

[givenall]

And you trust what Hun sen say ?

I concur with that one..

The 'Hun' is probably the shrewdest politico in SEA today..after Lee Kuan Yew that is..

He will change his tune in a week or two.

To Taksin haters..It's not over until it's over

Yeap it is over for Thaksin but he just don't know it

Yeap it is over for Thaksin but he is just too <snip> know it

Edited April 5, 2010 by soundman
Name calling removed.

[eggomaniac]

And you trust what Hun sen say ? or what it is claimed he say more like it !

EGGSactly what I was pondering.

summary > Suthep said Hun sen said something opposite of what he said yesterday, but did Hun sen confirm what he said OR will say tomorrow?

---

IF it is true, Thaksin won't get into Cambodia for the next 10 years! That's how long the protests are going to last. sawy to tell you

Edited April 5, 2010 by eggomaniac

[geriatrickid]

Don't read too much into this. The ban is for a short time and isn't permanent. Thaksin doesn't have to be in Cambodia, nor would it serve his purpose considering how some people used it against him previously. Hun Sen doesn't do things because he is charitable. The decision was in his best interest and probably cost the Thais something in return.

[kmj]

he's been asked not to visit for a couple of weeks, big deal... he's still economic adviser they didn't drop him.

[Zolt]

Hmmm, how uncharacteristically sensible and diplomatic from Hun Sen. But the source for the info is Suthep, so it might yet turn into another "Thaksin banned from Dubai"

[rainman]

I wonder if Hun Sen really meant what he said or if he said it as a 'trap' to Suthep. I'm sure he said it, but couldn't it be that because he didn't say it publicly himself, and therefor there's no evidence that he ever said it, but let Suthep repeat it to the media, that once Hun Sen is back in Cambodia he will say that he never said that to embarrass Suthep? Suthep surely took the bait if that's the case. We'll see.

[yoshiwara]

Pulling Thailand's tail may have been good short-term politics, but it does not advantage Cambodia for longer-term bilateral relations.

No doubt Thaksin offered Cambodia 'deals' for their support, but the risks now outweigh the advantages.

The ship is leaving the rat.

[gemini81]

so they both have no balls. they have a lot unknowingly in common.

[webfact]

Hun Sen's surprise position on Thaksin a positive sign : PM

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

HUA HIN -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's surprise message he would not allow ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to use his country as a base to attack the Thai government, was a positive sign for the two countries to normalise diplomatic relations, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Monday.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen is a leader who knows very well about the interests of people and interests of the country to maintain good relations with neighbouring countries," Abhisit told reporters.

Neighbours should seek only good relations for the benefit of economic, trade and investment, with no intervention in the internal affairs of others, he said.

Hun Sen made a surprise move on Sunday over the bilateral ties between Thailand and his country as he told Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsubhan that he would not allow Thaksin to enter Cambodia during the red shirt protest in Thailand.

Prime Minister Abhisit said he was briefed by Suthep on the message and interpreted it as a good sign to pave the way to mend bilateral ties.

"I won't analyse why he changed his stance, except to take it into account as a good sign for normalisation of relations," Abhisit said.

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia soured when Hun Sen appointed Thaksin as his economic adviser in October and rejected a Thai request for his extradition when Thaksin was in Phnom Penh in November last year.

-- The Nation 2010-04-05

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[hammered]

Clearly Hun Sen figures Thaksin isnt going to win in the short term. Kinda confident of him consdiering the reds seem to charge around Bangkok doing anything they want without any punitive action

[kissdani]

It actually means that Kasit was right from the beginning , Hun Sen was misinformed and finally came to his senses.

Still the government should be more careful. We all know that Hun Sen isn't somebody who we would trust 100%. Our FM Kasit wasn't worried without a reason and the previous allegations not baseless.

Did Hun Sen really change his mind? Lost Thaksin an ally? That Thaksins visits in Cambodia have nothing to do with the situation in Thailand was Hun Sens official stance all the time. That cunning fox just called the Thai Government liars. Don't be fooled.

[smokie36]

Great news. Clearly an cynical opportunist and now smells that Thaksin and the reds are rapidly self destructing.

I have to laugh at the political spin you try to put on his comments.

I read almost word for word the same statement in the Phnom Penh Post in early January regarding Thaksin's role in Cambodia.

[Rinrada]

Wiley old coot...hes playing both sides..... as usual.

Always remember the time we shared a helicopter together from TB Meancy back to PP....but I got on first.

On the other hand he is a survivor......Sok Subai... and a bit of arkun sharan tom tom...

[khunjamespittman]

Really? Has anyone seen Hun Sen's statement that would confirm he made all theses statements. I think his silence on the matter speaks volumes about its veracity.

[Meridian007]

PTV resuming broadcast

PTV can resume its satellite broadcast by today's morning although its programme is frequently interrupted due to the jamming of signal, Pheu Thai MP Waipoj Apornrat said on Friday.

Wipoj said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had permitted PTV to use the satellite uplink service.

-- The Nation 2010-04-09

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

Well, his playing nice at the Mekhong summit didn't last long, did it?

[animatic]

PTV resuming broadcast

PTV can resume its satellite broadcast by today's morning although its programme is frequently interrupted due to the jamming of signal, Pheu Thai MP Waipoj Apornrat said on Friday.

Wipoj said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had permitted PTV to use the satellite uplink service.

-- The Nation 2010-04-09

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

Well, his playing nice at the Mekhong summit didn't last long, did it?

So they say.

But the pronouncements from the Red Stage are larded with more lies

than can possibly be counted. Considering the source of this latest is

lacking veracity, it's meaningless.

[bacchanal]

PTV resuming broadcast

PTV can resume its satellite broadcast by today's morning although its programme is frequently interrupted due to the jamming of signal, Pheu Thai MP Waipoj Apornrat said on Friday.

Wipoj said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen had permitted PTV to use the satellite uplink service.

Well, his playing nice at the Mekhong summit didn't last long, did it?

More likely just PTP/UDD disinformation aka lies. There's been a lot of that coming out of them lately.

[RickBradford]

Speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit on Thursday, [Cambodian] Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong said the protests in Thailand were a matter best handled by the Thai government, and denied that Cambodia had any stake in the outcome.

“The problem between the Red Shirts and the Yellow is the internal affair of Thailand. We have nothing to do [with it], but we wish just the good things for Thailand,” Hor Namhong said, denying that there was any disjunction between Cambodia’s stated neutrality in Thailand’s political crisis and its appointment of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser.

“We’re dealing only with economic affairs in Cambodia. You have observed that during his stay in Cambodia twice, [Thaksin] has never said a word concerning the Thai situation.”

[RickBradford]

Following his return from the ASEAN summit in Hanoi, Hor Namhong also moved to damp down suspicions that Cambodia would seek to profit from Thailand’s internal turmoil.

Despite the country’s controversial appointment of fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as a government advisor last year, he said, Cambodia will not interfere in Thailand’s internal affairs. He said that a recent decision to bar Thaksin from entering Cambodia during the Red Shirt protests was intended to prevent a misinterpretation of the relationship between Hun Sen and Thaksin.

“Recently, Thaksin has requested to visit Cambodia, but was denied by Prime Minister Hun Sen because of the mass demonstrations in Thailand and because [he wanted] to avoid a wrong interpretation,” he told reporters at Phnom Penh International airport after returning to Cambodia on Friday.

He also denied allegations – raised by Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on the sidelines of the ASEAN talks – that Cambodia has allowed Red Shirt protesters access to satellite broadcasts after the Thai government cut off their access to broadcasts within in the country.

“How can we provide satellites for the Red Shirts while Cambodia does not have them? It is not true and is just a word of accusation from Thailand to Cambodia,” he said.

He added that currently, Cambodia has access only to broadcast satellites owned by Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. “Please control your internal affairs,” he said.