PM Abhisit: Thailand sending Thaksin extradition request to Cambodia

BANGKOK, Nov 10 (TNA) – Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday that Thailand will formally submit to Cambodia a letter seeking the extradition of convicted ex-Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra after he entered the neighbouring country.

The Thai premier commented as Mr Thaksin arrived in Phnom Penh Tuesday morning at the invitation of the Cambodian government which appointed the convicted ex-Thai premier as its economic adviser.

Mr Abhisit said that the Office of the Attorney-General has given the letter seeking the extradition of Mr Thaksin under the extradition treaty between the two countries to the Ministry of Foreign affairs and it will be sent to Cambodia once Mr Thaksin’s address there is identified.

“We have to find exactly where Mr Thaksin is staying in Cambodia and how many days he will stay there,” said Mr Abhisit, “If the Cambodian government does not respond to our request, the foreign ministry will consider appropriate measures.”

Regarding the Cabinet’s decision to revoke the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on overlapping maritime boundaries signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2001, the Thai premier reasserted that the revocation has resulted from the appointment of Mr Thaksin as economic adviser for the Cambodian government.

Mr Abhisit however said the cancellation of the MoU will only take effect once the matter is forwarded to the parliament for consideration under Article 190 of the Constitution.

“The government has carefully and thoroughly considered the revocation of the MoU because the issue can be argued,” said Mr Abhisit. “I reaffirm that the cancellation applies only on the overlapping maritime boundaries, not the contested areas around the Preah Vihear temple as being circulated in Cambodia to stir confusion.”

Mr Abhisit stated that the Thai government has made no move along the Thai-Cambodian border or near Preah Vihear temple.

Regarding Mr Thaksin’s interview with the online edition of the British daily The Times of London which is deemed as offending the monarchy, the Thai prime minister said he has instructed the foreign ministry to clarify the facts with local as well as international media and has assigned a legal team to scrutinise the content as to whether it is considered a violation of the lese majeste law. (TNA)