Cambodia Thaw A Sure Sign Thaksin Was On Way Out

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Cambodia thaw a sure sign Thaksin was on way out

By The Nation

Remarks about red-shirt fugitives suggest bilateral ties are improving

It won't be a smooth sailing but the recent announcement that Cambodia is ready to cooperate in locating Arisman Pongruangrong, the fugitive red-shirt leader who is reported to have taken shelter in Siem Reap, is a sign of a thawing relationship between the two neighbours.

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) earlier revealed that many red-shirt fugitives were residing in Cambodia and were undergoing military training with the aim of assassinating key figures in Thailand. Cambodia was dismissive of the allegation. Earlier this month, the DSI cited the confessions of 11 men arrested in Chiang Mai on charges they were a threat to national security. DSI said, in addition to the 11 suspects, 28 other individuals ahdf undergone weapons' training in Cambodia.

But the fact that Hun Sen agreed to look into it was a positive move for bilateral ties and it should be welcomed. At the least, it was a far cry from the last October spitting contest between the two countries. It was all smiles in Hanoi, indeed. Were any sincere? Did it really matter? We always knew that they were are all part of the same hypocrisy but it didn't really matter as long as ties between the nations could move on as they should.

One immediate priority should be the pulling back of troops from the border and putting order back into civilian hands.

Looking back over the year, it didn't take long for Hun Sen to realise there was not much he could get from Thaksin. One could also say that the writing was on the wall for the fugitive PM. Thaksin was not able to sustain his ties with Phnom Penh and Hun Sen couldn't get more from the runaway

premier than upsetting Bangkok. In the end, neither side stood to gain and thus Thaksin had to go. So much for Thaksin's powerful friends.

Beside Thaksin "quitting" his position as adviser to Hun Sen's government, Phnom Penh has also recently handed over two red-shirt protesters, believed to have been involved in a bombing outside the Bhum Jai Thai Party headquarters.

In the brief chat in Hanoi, Abhisit said he was committed to the MoU of 2000 in which the two countries agreed to use the joint boundary committee (JBC) to solve their overlapping claims. The panel's work on boundary demarcation has been on hold since last year because Parliament has still not approved the minutes recording the previous three meetings.

But finding a middle ground and moving this political mess forward won't be easy for Abhisit. There are too many spoilers out there. The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) filed a lawsuit against the Cabinet, accusing it of misconduct over the boundary arrangement and urging the Administrative Court to scrap the 2000 MoU. And with the respective ambassadors having been reinstated, this means that diplomacy is back on track. Let's hope the top Khmer envoy can put a lid on the kind of statements she has been dishing out.

For shrewd politicians like Thaksin, getting inside Cambodia was a way of irritating Thailand. But one could expect the likes of wet-behind-the-ears Arisman, as well as young-man-in-a-hurry Jakrapob Penkair, not to comprehend such shrewd tactics. Serving master Thaksin was an end in itself and the rewards were good, too, one can imagine. It appears they had trouble making a distinction between national interest and personal interest. What was good for Thaksin was good for Thailand.

But what the recent development has shown, is that you're as good as your usefulness. In this respect, people like Jakrapob and Arisman still have something to offer Thaksin.

Perhaps the government should just let them go - wherever the hell they want to go. Why make martyrs out of young boys who reached stardom by flying on borrowed wings?

The real culprit was Thaksin.

-- The Nation 2010-11-01

[Buchholz]

Phnom Penh has also recently handed over two red-shirt protesters, believed to have been involved in a bombing outside the Bhum Jai Thai Party headquarters.

In addition to Arisman, the Red Shirt Bomber Couple deported from Cambodia, Warisriya Boonsom (left) and Kobchai Boonplod (right), said that other Red Shirt fugitives such as Chulalongkorn Hospital Raiding Party Leader Payap Panket and Notorious Love Chiang Mai 51 Gang Leader Kanyapak Maneejak were in Cambodia.

Still more others referring to Arisman being in Cambodia:

Surachai Thewarat, a suspected red-shirt militant and a close aide to the deceased red-shirt Major-General Khattiya Sawasdipol, told the Thai press that he had met with Arisman in Cambodia and insisted that the red-shirt leader is still hiding out there.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1032432

Edited November 1, 2010 by Buchholz

[chantorn]

"One immediate priority should be the pulling back of troops from the border and putting order back into civilian hands."

This is a trap. Once Thailand pull back our troop, Hun Sen is going to invade out Temple with no resistance. And perhaps kill a few PAD on the process.

[phuketrichard]

"One immediate priority should be the pulling back of troops from the border and putting order back into civilian hands."

This is a trap. Once Thailand pull back our troop, Hun Sen is going to invade out Temple with no resistance. And perhaps kill a few PAD on the process.

OUR ( OUT??) Temple???

The temple is Cambodian and will always be. ONlY thing in dispute is surronding land.

Edited November 1, 2010 by phuketrichard

[geriatrickid]

Nice attempt at a political spin. The end result is that Thailand is backing down. Hun Sen does what is best for Hun Sen. It was never about former PM Thaksin. Hun Sen used Thaksin to pressure the Thais for concessions. If Hun Sen could have achieved even greater gains, he'd have handed over Mr. Thaksin long ago. Thailand took a agamble and Thailand lost. It happens.

[asiawatcher]

"... For shrewd politicians like Thaksin, getting inside Cambodia was a way of irritating Thailand. But one could expect the likes of wet-behind-the-ears Arisman, as well as young-man-in-a-hurry Jakrapob Penkair, not to comprehend such shrewd tactics. Serving master Thaksin was an end in itself and the rewards were good, too, one can imagine. It appears they had trouble making a distinction between national interest and personal interest. What was good for Thaksin was good for Thailand.

But what the recent development has shown, is that you're as good as your usefulness. In this respect, people like Jakrapob and Arisman still have something to offer Thaksin.

Perhaps the government should just let them go - wherever the hel_l they want to go. Why make martyrs out of young boys who reached stardom by flying on borrowed wings?

The real culprit was Thaksin. "

Is there finally some sense being expounded in Thailand? I like this a lot - let's get this out amongst the masses.