Thaksin lambasts Thai government before Cambodian economists

BANGKOK, Nov 12 (TNA) - Convicted ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra on Thursday lectured several hundred Cambodian businessmen and economists in Phnom Penh, attacking the Thai government for 'false patriotism' on his first assignment as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government. Security officials ushered reporters out of the lecture venue minutes into the Thaksin talk, effectively precluding an independent assessment of what he actually had to say about "Cambodia and the World after the Financial Crisis," his announced topic. The lecture by the fugitive Thai premier at Cambodia's finance ministry was made at the invitation of the Cambodian government after it had appointed him as its economic adviser and personal adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The Associated Press (AP) news agency quoted Mr Thaksin as saying to his audience "Of course, not all my compatriots see it that way right now. I do not believe those who do not share our vision now are myopic. Their domestic political compulsions force them to false patriotism. Let's pray that they too will one day appreciate this partnership for progress." The fugitive former Thai premier reportedly planned to visit the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex after his lecture and may then play golf with Prime Minister Hun Sen. Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva chaired a National Security Council meeting believed to focus on Thailand's next move after Cambodia rejected Thailand’s request for Mr Thaksin’s extradition. The diplomatic spat between Thailand and Cambodia flared up when the Cambodian government appointed the former Thai premier as its economic adviser. Thailand reacted by recalling its ambassador to Phnom Penh and revoking a memorandum of understanding over the overlapping maritime boundaries by Thailand and Cambodia signed in 2001. The Cambodian government shunned Thailand's retaliatory move, withdrawing its ambassador to Bangkok as a reciprocal action and handing over an already prepared note flatly rejecting Thailand's request to extradite Mr Thaksin only minutes after Thai diplomats presented the extradition papers to officials at Cambodia's foreign affairs ministry Wednesday morning. In a related development, the so-called Patriotism Group 52, including a group of taxi drivers with their vehicles, gathered at the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok amid tight security. The demonstrators submitted an open letter to representatives of the Thai foreign affairs ministry as the Cambodian government had recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh. The gathering was intended to express their dissatisfaction with Mr Thaksin’s appointment as Cambodian economic adviser as well as its rejection to extradite Thailand’s ex-premier. The letter called on Mr Hun Sen to stop interfering with Thailand's judicial process, to stop being a political tool for Mr Thaksin and to respect international protocol by extraditing the fugitive premier. They also demanded that Mr Hun Sen and Mr Thaksin end their partnership. However, the demonstrators dispersed peacefully after handing over the letter. (TNA)