Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, Minister in charge of the Council of Ministers, said that Cambodia recalled its ambassador from Thailand after the Thai government recalled its ambassador from Cambodia in protest of Cambodia’s nomination of fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on November 4. “To reciprocate the recall of Thailand’s ambassador-designate, the Royal Government of Cambodia decided to recall its ambassador for the time being but regards this only as a temporary measure,” Sok An said in a press conference at his office on November 5. The Minister Sok An also said the Cambodian envoy would be sent back to Bangkok only after the Thai government has returned its ambassador- designate to Phnom Penh. Cambodia’s retaliation – the planned recall of Ambassador You Aye – ensured bilateral ties were at their worst level in years. tHailand deployed secuRity peRsonnel to pRotect cam- Bodian emBassy in Bangkok According to a Thai News Agency, on November 5, extra security personnel were deployed at the Embassy, including 230 policemen from various stations under the Metropolitan Police Bureau, including some anti-riot units on rotating shifts. Another 150 policemen were planned to be deployed in the event of a protest. These security measures were taken as tensions continued in the bilateral relationship between the Thai and Cambodian governments, who on November recalled their respective ambassadors from their neighboring countries. These new tensions were triggered by the Cambodian government’s announcement on November 4 that it will appoint Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup, as Economic Advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia and Personal Advisor to Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen. tHai FoReign ministeR uRges camBodia to RevieW decision on tHaksin appointment Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kasit Piromya, urged the Cambodian government late Thursday to review its decision to appoint convicted former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as Personal Advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and Economic Advisor to the Cambodian government. Kasit said that Phnom Penh must choose between personal interest and relations and the national interest and relations of the two countries, according to a Thai News Agency (TNA) report on November 6. However, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said at a press conference that Cambodia has respected international law and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries. “What we are doing is not to interfere in Thailand’s internal politics, but what we are doing is to help Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s friend Thaksin,” Sok An said at the press conference. Meanwhile, the Thai envoy to Cambodia, Prasas Prasasvinitchai, arrived in Bangkok at 9:55pm on November 5 without giving any comment to the media. He reportedly requested the airport authority to provide a vehicle to pick him up at the aircraft. In related developments, Thailand has stepped up security measures at the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok. More personnel are assigned to provide security at the embassy, including 230 police from various stations under the Metropolitan Police Bureau and anti-riot units in rotating shifts at the Embassy. tHailand cancels oil and gas pact WitH camBodia Thailand has cancelled an eightyear- old Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cambodia on the oiland gas-rich overlapping area in the Gulf of Thailand as it continues its feud with its neighbor, reported the Malaysia News Agency Bernama on November 6. Bernama quoted Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya as saying that the MoU was signed in June 2001, when Thaksin Shinawatra was the Prime Minister. “The MoU was pushed by Thaksin and he knew the details of the negotiations. We cannot negotiate anymore based on this MoU as it will affect our economy and security,” said Kasit, who is currently attending the twoday Mekong sub-region summit in Japan, in a telephone interview with the media here. Kasit stated that as there was not much progress made since the MoU was signed, the government felt that it should be scrapped so that it can find new ways to start afresh in dealing with the Cambodian side. Under the agreement, signed in 2001, Thailand and Cambodia, which share 26,000 square kilometres of overlapping area, would delimit and develop this area in a joint effort for oil and gas exploration. tHailand tHReatens to seal camBodian BoRdeR Thailand threatened on November 6 to seal its border with Cambodia in a spiraling diplomatic row over Phnom Penh’s naming of fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as a government advisor. The warning came a day after the two countries recalled their respective ambassadors due to a dispute over the appointment of Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, according to an international news agency on November 6. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban was quoted as saying: “If Cambodia still adopts a hard line and uncompromising attitude, then we must continue to downgrade relations and maybe seal off all border checkpoints.” However, the Cambodian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Spokesperson, Koy Kuong, told The Southeast Asia Weekly that Cambodia is not afraid of Thailand’s warning that it may shut down its borders. He added that Cambodia is ready to respond if Thailand closes its border, stating: “If Thailand closes the border, Cambodia will follow.” There were no reports of any incidents along the border so far and trading was going on as normal, Suthep said. Thailand and Cambodia have fought a series of deadly skirmishes since July 2008 over disputed land that surrounds the ancient Preah Vihear temple on the border. Thailand boosted security around the Cambodian Embassy after the Cambodian ambassador returned to Phnom Penh early Friday. There have been rallies in recent weeks around the building by anti-Thaksin protesters. Suthep said that Thailand expected Cambodia to reciprocate, adding: “Thaksin should ask Cambodian authorities to secure the Thai Embassy and Thai interests in Cambodia.” In 2003, Cambodian protesters set fire to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh during a similar situation when both countries recalled their ambassadors in a diplomatic row. The Cambodian government announced the appointment of Thaksin as Economics Advisor on state television late Wednesday, almost two weeks after Hun Sen first floated the idea at a summit of Asian leaders. Twice-elected, Thaksin remains a hugely influential figure in Thailand, which has been rocked by years of protests by his red-clad supporters and yellow-clad opponents, including rallies that shut down Bangkok’s airports last year. militaRy situation calms doWn Cambodian Army Commander Chea Dara told The Southeast Asia Weekly by telephone that the military situation at the Preah Vihear border is calm as military commanders from both sides met on November 6 to promise not to open fire even though diplomatic relations between the two nations remain tense. (SEAW)