Cambodia caught between Thai internal politics, official
Cambodia has maintained neutrality in Thailand’s internal politics for not extraditing fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra as a way to avoid causing irritation from Thai “Red Shirt” and “Yellow Shirt” protestors, a government official said.
“When a criminal whom we wanted to arrest stayed in Thailand, did Thailand send the criminal back to us? They didn’t. But here we just exercise our rights to decision making and maintain a neutral role. If we extradite Thaksin back to Thailand, the Red Shirt group would be angry at us and if we don’t, the Yellow Shirt would, so that’s why the government [of Cambodia] must stand on a neutral ground,” Phay Siphan, a spokesman at the Council of Ministers, said as a guest on Hello VOA show Monday.
For further solution with Thailand Phay Siphan said Cambodia’s stance is to maintain peace, good relationship and good cooperation.
Cambodia has recently appointed Thaksin as an economic advisor, a move that Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said does not respect international principle on extradition.
The appointment and Cambodia’s refusal to extradite Thaksin have caused diplomatic tension between the two neighboring countries. Both have lower relations by recalling their respective ambassadors.
“When a criminal whom we wanted to arrest stayed in Thailand, did Thailand send the criminal back to us? They didn’t. But here we just exercise our rights to decision making and maintain a neutral role. If we extradite Thaksin back to Thailand, the Red Shirt group would be angry at us and if we don’t, the Yellow Shirt would, so that’s why the government [of Cambodia] must stand on a neutral ground,” Phay Siphan, a spokesman at the Council of Ministers, said as a guest on Hello VOA show Monday.
For further solution with Thailand Phay Siphan said Cambodia’s stance is to maintain peace, good relationship and good cooperation.
Cambodia has recently appointed Thaksin as an economic advisor, a move that Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said does not respect international principle on extradition.
The appointment and Cambodia’s refusal to extradite Thaksin have caused diplomatic tension between the two neighboring countries. Both have lower relations by recalling their respective ambassadors.
Authorities in the coastal Kampot province seized on Wednesday leaflets expressing opposition to a plan to backfill a seaside plot for development, activists said.
The measure was taken while residents in Boeung Touk commune were distributing the leaflets to passengers on National Road 3. Villagers said Cambodian government allowed the company Keo Chea Property and Development to backfill 200 hectares of Cambodian sea and that the backfilling destroys sea resources on which they are depending on.
“It will destroy crab population and fish sanctuary,” said Saing Pov, who publicly expressed opposition to the project.
Activists said some 500 households will be affected. The developer says the project will create up to 1,000 jobs.
“I would like to ask them to reconsider about this development. We have already studied on [environmental] impact from this investment that’s why the government grant us permission,” Keo Chea, president of the company, told VOA Khmer.
The measure was taken while residents in Boeung Touk commune were distributing the leaflets to passengers on National Road 3. Villagers said Cambodian government allowed the company Keo Chea Property and Development to backfill 200 hectares of Cambodian sea and that the backfilling destroys sea resources on which they are depending on.
“It will destroy crab population and fish sanctuary,” said Saing Pov, who publicly expressed opposition to the project.
Activists said some 500 households will be affected. The developer says the project will create up to 1,000 jobs.
“I would like to ask them to reconsider about this development. We have already studied on [environmental] impact from this investment that’s why the government grant us permission,” Keo Chea, president of the company, told VOA Khmer.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is seeking international support a day after his parliamentary immunity was revoked in a dispute over border with Vietnam.
Cambodia’s National Assembly on Monday lift Sam Rainsy’s immunity to pave the way for court investigation into his involvement in uprooting six wooden demarcation posts in the eastern province of Svay Rieng last month.
“I will tell them [European Parliament] that the recent stripping of my immunity and those of other parliamentarians is a violation of the [Cambodia’s] constitution, democratic principles, and freedom of expression,” Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer by phone from Brussels where he is scheduled to attend a parliament hearing.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said everything is done based on the rule of law.
Cambodia’s National Assembly on Monday lift Sam Rainsy’s immunity to pave the way for court investigation into his involvement in uprooting six wooden demarcation posts in the eastern province of Svay Rieng last month.
“I will tell them [European Parliament] that the recent stripping of my immunity and those of other parliamentarians is a violation of the [Cambodia’s] constitution, democratic principles, and freedom of expression,” Sam Rainsy told VOA Khmer by phone from Brussels where he is scheduled to attend a parliament hearing.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said everything is done based on the rule of law.