BANGKOK, Aug 26 - Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Thursday he believed bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia will gradually improve after the reinstatement of the two countries’ ambassadors.
Regarding possible bilateral talks between leaders of the two countries, he said the matter from now on rests with the leaders of both countries pending appropriate times and venues.
Cambodian ambassador You Aye returned to Bangkok on Wednesday, one day after Thai envoy Prasas Prasasvinitchai arrived in Phnom Penh to resume his posting.
The Thai government recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh last November in protest against Cambodia's appointment of fugitive ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as its economic adviser. Cambodia retaliated by recalling its ambassador.
The Cambodian government on Monday announced that Mr Thaksin had resigned from his post. The Thai government then decided to send its ambassador back to Cambodia.
Regarding the three Thai villagers detained in Cambodia's Siem Riep province for over a week, the deputy prime minister said efforts have been made through negotiations at many levels to help secure them. He pledged the government would continue working to bring them home.
Meanwhile, Papob Korthai, an assistant district chief in the northeastern province of Surin led relatives of Thai villagers detained in Cambodia to visit them at the prison.
They crossed the border in Sa Kaeo province's Aranyaprathet to visit the trio. Cambodian officials provided a van to pick them up at the border.
A Thai official said the trip was to bring relatives to visit the detainees as Cambodia has not yet released them, but pending release, they will return home with the team.
The detainees are Sanong Wongcharoen, Lim Puangpet, and Lan Sapsri, arrested while collecting forest products along the Thai-Cambodian border in Thailand's northeastern province of Surin.
In a related matter, Mr Suthep also said Thailand resumes loans for Cambodia for road construction without any conditions attached.
It is Thailand's policy of peaceful coexistence to provide support to develop people’s livelihood in neighbouring countries, he said. (MCOT online news)
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