Thaksin departs, Cambodia-Thai relations in trouble

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AFP) – Fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra left Cambodia on Saturday, ending a contentious four-day visit that deepened a diplomatic crisis between the neighbours.

Thaksin, who was toppled by a military coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption in Thailand, departed the tourist hub Siem Reap by private jet, Cambodia's deputy cabinet minister Prak Sokhon confirmed.

Officials would not disclose his destination. Thaksin has based himself in Dubai and travelled widely since leaving Thailand in August last year.

He was warmly greeted during his Cambodia visit, billed as the beginning of his new role as economic adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen's administration.

"During his trip, Thaksin helped us on economic concepts," said Cambodian government spokesman Khieu Kanharith, who would not speculate when the fugitive former prime minister would return.

But Thaksin's visit created a diplomatic storm between already bickering Cambodia and Thailand.

Bangkok was outraged by the appointment, and ties plummeted further when Cambodia refused to extradite him to Thailand on the grounds that his graft conviction was politically motivated.

The neighbours recalled their respective ambassadors and Thaksin accused Thai rulers of "false patriotism" during an economic lecture Thursday in the capital Phnom Penh.

Before his departure Saturday morning, Thaksin chatted at a hotel with Hun Sen and political supporters who had travelled from Thailand to meet him.

Hun Sen called Thaksin an "eternal friend" when he arrived Tuesday, and the pair played a round of golf Friday.

Some 50 members of parliament from Thailand's main pro-Thaksin party, Puea Thai, waved him off as his plane left the airport.

The row was further inflamed Thursday when Cambodian police arrested a Thai man on charges of spying on Thaksin and expelled the first secretary to Thailand's embassy.

Thailand reciprocated, expelling Cambodia's first secretary from Bangkok.

Siwarak Chothipong, 31, who works at Cambodia Air Traffic Service, is accused of supplying the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh with details of Thaksin's flight schedule, according to Cambodian police.

Thailand has submitted a request to visit the detained suspect, which is being considered by Cambodia's interior ministry, said officials from both countries.

"We have to see him, whatever happens," said Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to Thailand's foreign minister. "Thailand categorically denies all of the spy allegations."

Thailand has put all talks and cooperation programmes with Cambodia on hold, torn up an oil and gas exploration deal signed during Thaksin's time in power and placed under review two road-building projects worth 42 million dollars.

Chris Baker, a Bangkok-based political analyst who wrote a biography of Thaksin, called the row "dangerous".

"If Hun Sen wants to take it further it's very easy indeed, but I can't see at the moment what the utility for him would be," Baker said.

Tensions were already high between the two countries following a series of deadly military clashes over disputed territory near the 11th century Preah Vihear temple on their border.

The trip fuelled tensions before a weekend summit of regional leaders with US President Barack Obama, although Cambodia's foreign ministry has said it does not want the dispute raised during the historic meeting.

Twice-elected Thaksin fled Thailand in August 2008, a month before a court sentenced him to two years in jail in a conflict of interest case.

He had returned to Thailand just months earlier for the first time since the coup in 2006.

He has retained enormous influence in Thai politics by stirring up protests against the current government, and analysts said that in Hun Sen he had found a new way to push for a return to power.