Thaksin to be my economic advisor - Hun Sen

Hun Sen (photo : Tatchadon Panyaphanitkul)

Hua Hin - Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Thursday that he planned to appoint convicted ex-Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as his economic advisor.

He made the statement upon arrival at Hua Hin airport to attend the 15th Asean Summit. He missed the Asean Summit's opening ceremony on Friday morning as he was busy receving South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

"It is true that I would invite former Prime Minister Thaksin to visit Cambodia anytime and to be my economic advisor," he said through an interpreter.

He denied that he was interfering in Thailand's internal affairs.

"Our concern is for humanitarian reasons, it is friends helping friends. The internal affairs of Thailand would be left for Thai people to resolve, I am not interfering."

"I would like to suggest that you should read the extradition treaty between Thailand and Cambodia on Article 3. So he can stay in Cambodia as a guest of Cambodia and he also can be my advisor on the economic (matters)."

Article 3 of the Thai-Cambodia extradition treaty states that extradition would not be granted if the requested party considered the offence is political one.

Thaksin was sentenced to two years in jail in absentia in Thailand for abusing of power and corruption.

Hun Sen insisted that it was not an interference in Thailand's internal affairs but it is a political rights of sovereign state of Cambodia.

Asked whether the plan would be considered interfering in Thai politics, Hun Sen insisted that it was under Cambodia's rights to do so.

He continued many people talked about Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma but why they do not  talk about Thakin as a victim. So that cannot refer to the interference of Cambodia to Thai internal affairs.

He told reporters that in Thailand, there were a lot of "red shirts" supporting Thaksin.

Hun Sen said it was internal Thai affairs in case Cambodia did not arrest Thaksin when he entered Cambodia.

He however said he was not supporter of Thaksin. "Don't accuse Hun Sen of supporting Thaksin in the politics of the Red Shirts."

He also referred to a visit of Cambodia's opposition leader Sam Rainsy recently.

Sam Rainsy was invited to Thailand and he issued a statement against the government of Cambodia. And then the second National TV of Thailand made a comment on Cambodia, criticising myself and Thaksin.

"Sam Rainsy came to Thailand and criticised my government. I did not make any complaint about it," he said.