The house that Hun Sen built....for Thaksin

This is where Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to spend the first night in Phnom Penh today. It's a residential complex right in the Cambodian capital that will house the most prominent fugitive from Thailand.

Thaksin flew into Phnom Penh this morning,prompting the Thai government to file a request for his extradition which is expected to be ignored by Hun Sen who had made it clear earlier that he won't deliver the former Thai premier "because he is my friend and he has been treated unfairly in Thailand."

The Thai government plans to ask the Interpol to help arrest him.

The questions being asked now include: Will Thaksin take up residence in Cambodia? H has said he won't. How long will be stay this time? Perhaps, a day or two. Some of his advisers in Bangkok have suggested he turn down the advisory job in Cambodia for fear of further backlash which has so far seen his popularity ratings plunge.

Meanwhile, the relations between Thailand and Phnom Penh continue to head downhill.

Abhisit puts blame squarely on Big Jiew....

PM Abhisit Vejjajiva this morning put the blame squarely on Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh for triggering the new Thai-Cambodian spat that has resulted in both countries summoning their respective ambassadors for home consutations.

He said before Chavalit's visit to Cambodia two weeks ago, Cambodian PM Hun Sen was still insisting that he would put the two nations' interests above his personal relations with Thaksin Shinawatra.

"But things began to change after the visit of a former PM to Cambodia. The Cambodian PM had probably been fed wrong information that resulted in the appointment of Thaksin as PM Hun Sen's adviser..." Abhisit said in his weekly television programme.

He said the Thai-Khmer MoU over continental shelf straddling both countries had to be cancelled because it was signed when Thaksin was premier -- and now that the ex-premier is serving the Khmer PM, certain classified information might be leaked to the Cambodian side.

Gen Chavalit, however, remains unperturbed. He insisted that he will proceed with his plan to visit other neighbouring countries...next stop Burma.

What if Abhisit appoints Cambodia's Sam Rangsi his adviser?

Hun Sen naming Thaksin Shinawatra his personal economic adviser? Deputy PM Suthep Thuangsuban said this morning: "It's Cambodia's internal affair."

He then added cryptically: "What would happen if the Thai government appoints Sam Rangsi (Cambodia's opposition leader) our adviser?"

Is that also Thailad's "internal affair?"

Do two "internal matters" make one international incident? I frankly don't know.

FM tells Economist: You painted too dark and pessimistic picture of Thailand

The Thai Foreign Ministry has written to "The Economist" after the British news magazine has published several articles about Thai politics. This is what was published in the latest issue:

SIR –The Economist painted too dark and pessimistic a picture of Thailand’s political situation (“Exile and the kingdom”, October 17th). Since 1932, and despite many ups and downs along the democratic path, Thais have persevered towards a true parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. Irrespective of their political colours, Thais share an unwavering respect for the monarchy. The current political impasse reflects different perspectives about what Thai democracy entails, and efforts are being made to bridge such differences peacefully through parliamentary means.

Meanwhile, the Thai people enjoy their constitutional rights, not least the right to peaceful assembly, which has been continuously exercised and respected.

Vimon Kidchob
Director-general
Department of Information
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bangkok

Thaksin: Loy Krathong in Phnom Penh is out

One day after some of his Pheau Thai Party's MPs said Thaksin Shinawatra was coming to Phnom Penh to celebrate Loy Krathong with Cambodian PM Hun Sen, the ex-premier wrote in his Twitter account: "Loy Kratong in Cambodia? No.I am not going. I will stay on here (in Dubai). Besides, people can start getting my sms messages for free as of Nov 1."

Of course, Thaksin knows what a storm he could create if he decides to fly into Phnom Penh because PM Abhisit has made it clear that he will pursue legal proceedings for his extradition, no matter what Hun Sen has said earlier.

It wouldn't be wise for Thaksin to get caught in a web of an international incident even if he reckons he could snub the Abhisit government.

But he has apparently decided it's politically not worth it after all.

It's going to be a hot Loy Krathong...Thaksin is due in Cambodia Nov 2

Pheau Thai MP Pracha Prasobdi says Thaksin Shinawatr will fly his private jet to Cambodia on Nov 2 to celebrate Loy Krathong festival with Khmer PM Hun Sen.

"He also wants to personally thank Hun Sen for expressing his readiness to provide a house for him," the Thai MP says, adding: "If Prime Minister Abhisit wants to visit Khun Thaksin in Cambodia, he may do so. But there is no way he can get Thaksin arrested because the Cambodian government has made it clear it won't hand Thaksin over to the Thai government because it's a political case. And if the government puts additional pressure, he might seek political asylum."

A group of Pheau Thai MPs may join Thaksin in Cambodia for the occasion.

What does PM Abhisit say about that? "We will pursue legal proceedings. There is no doubt about that."

PM Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoei stressed in his statement to Parliament today that Thaksin had committed a criminal offence -- therefore it's under the jurisdiction of the extradition agreement between Thailand and Cambodia.

It's going to be a hot Loy Krathong!

It all started with copying a friend's homework...

Recently-retired Air Chief Marshal Sumet Pohmani has led a team of about 30 former pre-cadet classmates of Thaksin Shinawatr to join Pheau Thai Party.

He was commanding the Air Force Operations Centre when the Sept 19, 2006 coup took place. Sumet said he was ready to put up a fight against the coup leaders. In fact, when he decided to surrender, it was 10.00 pm. He was the last general to lay down his weapons against the coup "because when I checked around, everybody else had fled the scene..."

Why is he so loyal to Thaksin? ACM Sumet admitted frankly to a reporter last week: "Because I am Thaksin's close friend. When we were studying together, I used to copy homework from him for almost two years. He was such a bright student..."

Now, you know why. One good deed deserves another.