Cambodia, Thailand expel diplomats

BANGKOK, Nov 12 (TNA) – 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)