Spy row, golf game stoke Thai-Cambodia row

SIEM REAP, Cambodia (AFP) – Cambodian police said Friday they had charged a Thai man with spying on fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, inflaming a major diplomatic crisis between the neighbouring countries.

The spy row blew up as Thaksin played a relaxed round of golf with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, underscoring Bangkok's powerlessness to make Phnom Penh extradite the billionaire and get him to serve a jail term for graft.

Siwarak Chothipong, 31, who works for the Cambodia Air Traffic Service, was arrested and charged Thursday with supplying the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh with details of Thaksin's flight schedule, said Cambodian police officials.

"We sent him to the court yesterday and he was charged with releasing information related to the national security of Cambodia," national police spokesman Kirt Chantharith said.

"He tried to search for information related to the special flight of Thaksin in order to send it out of the country," he said, adding that police were investigating whether more people were involved.

Cambodian deputy national police chief Sok Phal said the spy allegations had prompted Phnom Penh to expel the Thai embassy's first secretary Thursday. Thailand reciprocated hours later.

"He (the first secretary) ordered the man to copy the schedule of Thaksin's return flight, and that's why he was expelled," Sok Phal told AFP.

Cambodian foreign ministry spokesman Koy Kuong told AFP there was "written evidence" that Thai diplomat and suspect were "involved with spying often".

Thailand rejected the "malicious" Cambodian accusations.

"It's not true. It is a malicious and false claim," Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters before boarding a flight with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to a regional summit in Singapore.

"Thaksin feels he must destroy Thailand and collaborate with Hun Sen."

The countries had already recalled their ambassadors last week, after Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless coup in 2006, was appointed economic adviser to Cambodia.

Thaksin arrived in Cambodia on Tuesday to take up the role and Hun Sen on Wednesday rejected Bangkok's formal extradition request for Thaksin, outraging the Thai government. Profile: Thaksin's political life

Thaksin met a group of supporters before playing golf with Hun Sen in the tourist hub of Siem Reap on Friday. Hun Sen and Cambodian officials laughed and applauded Thaksin's shot as he teed off first at the luxury Angkor Golf Resort.

Both planned to dine later with around 50 MPs from Thailand's main pro-Thaksin party, Puea Thai, who had crossed the border that day, officials said.

Telecommunications mogul Thaksin hit out at the Thai government during an economic lecture in the capital Phnom Penh on Thursday, accusing Thai rulers of "false patriotism".

Cambodian officials have indicated Thaksin's stay will be short and he was not intending to live there.

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.

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 shared border.

The row threatens to mar a weekend summit of regional leaders with US President Barack Obama, although Cambodia's foreign ministry said Friday it did 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.

But 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.