Critics call for judicial oversight

Monday, 30 November 2009 15:02 Laura Snook and Meas Sokchea
Chea Ratha case reveals need for reform, rights activists say.

Photo by: Tracey Shelton

Acid attack victim Ya Soknim speaks at a press conference about the appeal against her attacker Chea Ratha in September. The Appeal Court overturned Chea Ratha’s acquittal on Friday.

HUMAN rights advocates called Sunday for a judicial inquiry after the Appeal Court overturned the acquittal of a former military police official for her role in an acid attack that left a woman scarred for life.

Former Military Police Brigadier General Chea Ratha, 43, and five accomplices were convicted in absentia on Friday, handed prison sentences of between 15 and 18 years each and ordered to jointly pay US$100,000 to the victim. All five, however, remain at large – prompting fears that they will never be brought to justice.

Sara Colm, senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, said: “One concern is that they have been found guilty but remain at large, and the victim’s relatives are still concerned for their safety. We need a big push from the top levels of government – and if not there, then Cambodia’s international partners – to go after the perpetrators and have them properly serve time.

“The Supreme Council of the Magistracy should monitor and discipline court officials who make decisions based not on evidence but on politics.

But the institution has been weak since its creation and has never called into question any controversial rulings. We hope the government takes this seriously, re-examines the case and does its best to track the offenders down.”

In overturning the Phnom Penh Municipal Court decision, Appeal Court Presiding Judge Seng Sivutha ruled that Chea Ratha – previously acquitted of two similar incidents – ordered the attack after prominent beauty queen In Soklyda fled a forced lesbian relationship.

In May 2008, shortly after In Soklyda went into hiding, her aunt Ya Soknim was approached by two men on a motorcycle. One poured a litre of acid onto her face and chest, leaving her permanently disfigured.

During the yearlong investigation, Phnom Penh Municipal Court received evidence including recordings of phone calls in which Chea Ratha threatened to kill In Soklyda’s relatives; phone logs for Chea Ratha and her co-defendants on the day of the attack, and a report confirming that acid was found in the home of one of Chea Ratha’s associates. The acquittal, announced on August 31 and citing lack of evidence, was jointly condemned by human rights groups Licadho and the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR).

Speaking on Sunday, CCHR Executive Director Ou Virak echoed calls for an inquiry. “We have six people convicted, but six people at large,” he said. “We have little hope they’ll serve their sentences. This was a missed opportunity to find justice in this case.”

Ou Virak said the case highlighted a “bigger issue” – problems with Cambodia’s courts. “There is much talk of independence, but the judiciary is not held accountable. It is systematically flawed,” he said. “The bodies tasked to monitor the courts are not doing their jobs, which is a big sign of political interference. The Magistracy is supposed to monitor and punish judges for corruption. The Supreme Council of the Magistracy should be in the spotlight. They should be investigated to see where things went wrong.”

Photo by: Heng Chivoan

Chea Ratha attends a conference – the ex-Military Police official vanished before her trial, and her whereabouts are unknown.

Licadho director Naly Pilorge welcomed the ruling, but called on the judiciary to ensure that Chea Ratha and her accomplices serve their sentences. “This brutal crime is one of many cases committed by high-ranking officials or powerful individuals with impunity,” she said. “Chea Ratha had already committed the same crime on two other victims in the past without any consequences to her or her accomplices. This time, we hope officials will quickly find the six people to ensure they serve their prison sentence and as a way to provide a glimpse of justice to the victim and her family.”

Chea Ratha has reportedly been investigated for involvement in two other acid attacks, Chea Ratha, Meas Moa, 40, and Seak Chandy, 27, were each sentenced to 18 years for violation of an individual’s rights and intent to kill by premeditation. Ea Puthea, 33, Saing Nuth, 29, and Seak Sophal, 25, were each sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy. The acquittal of a seventh defendant, Chan Dara, 34, was upheld.

Oung Vibol, Ya Soknim’s husband, said that although he welcomed the conviction, his family would live in fear until the perpetrators were behind bars. “My family will be scared so long as Chea Ratha remains at large,” he said.

Neither the Supreme Council of the Magistracy nor the Ministry of Justice could be reached for comment on Sunday.

President Barack Obama Would Probably Hit That Young Ass

''Buttgate" And Michelle Obama Will Not Be Happy At All

Mayara Tavares who is a 16 year-old and a junior G8 delegate from Brazil has become an overnight international celebrity after few pictures

surfaced of President Barack Obama staring at the young girl’s derrière with an onlooking French President Nicolas Sarkozy noticing. Some say Obama was ogling others say he was being a gentleman by helping the lady behind him. What do you think? Truth be told, it is a nice ass however it is jailbait ass in most civil parts of the world, yes, but a nice jailbait ass. How can a mere man resist just talking a look. The Brazilian female is famous for her shapely ass. And unlike in America where the boobs is king, the ass rule Brazil. You know, I kinda feel sorry for Obama because Michelle does not seem like the type of woman that take shit like this episode.
I am still shocked, in a purely Clintonesque moment, Barack Obama was photographed "apparently" checking out the ass of a Brazilian girl at the G-8 summit in Italy. TMZ published the image with the headline "Baby Got Barack," so there's no doubt Brazilian Mayara certainly grabbed the attention of the world. Yup, for doing basically noting she is now the most famous teenager in Brazil. Please remember, some states in America the legal age of consent is 16 year-old. But I was checking around, the age of consent in Brazil is 18. But, no where it is illegal just to look! I bet he also has one of his stimulates package for that ass. LOL... This is going to go straight to her head, she will be bragging to her female friends in Brazil how Obama checked out her ass. Click on pictures to enlarge.

UPDATE: Obama ogles another woman’s butt…

Flashback: Bill Clinton pats Fran Drescher’s butt…

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Barack Hussein Obama II (pronounced /bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961 in Nyang’oma Kogelo, Nyanza Province, Kenya) is the 44th and current President of the United States. The first African American to hold the office, Obama had previously been the junior United States Senator from Illinois, serving from January 2005 until November 2008, when he resigned after his election to the presidency.

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Mayara Tavares is 16-year-old and lives in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She inherited from her grandmother and father a passion to take part in community action and social movements and has been an activist in her community fighting for children and adolescent rights. She has recently acted as a community researcher interviewing other adolescents in the community about their lives and how it feels for them to be growing up in the shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro. Through this work she became part of a National Platform for the improvement of poor communities situated in large urban centers, an initiative carried out by UNICEF in Brazil. She also became a member of the Youth Forum in her municipality and hopes that she can continue to engage her peers in this work.

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Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.) is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States.

VN investment in Cambodia reached US$1.5 bn

Tue, November 17, 2009
Rasmei Kampuchea
Asia News Network

Phnom Penh : Vietnamese investors consider Cambodia as a big potential investment destination in the future. So far, its investment in Cambodia has reached US$1.5 billion in the last few years in different sectors such as construction, agriculture, and banking sector.
Tran Bac Ha, chief of a delegation of Vietnamee investors told Prime Minister Hun Sen on October 16 that Vietnam government allowed three Vietnamese companies to invest in Cambodia in real estate, construction and agriculture.
Tran Bac Ha added that Vietnamese company planned to buy in 2010 between 300 000 and 400 000 tonnes of paddy from Cambodia to boost Cambodian economy and reduce poverty.
Recently, Vietnamese investors planned to plant rubber trees on 50 000 hectare in the Northeast of the country and they put in place the mobile phone company, Viettel, and at the same time, Vietnamese airline company has invested in running the Cambodian National Airline called "Cambodia Angkor Air". The joint venture investment costs $100 millions, of which , Cambodia holds 51 per cent and the rest belongs to Vietnamese side.
While the diplomatic row has increased between Thailand and Cambodia, Some Thai leaders threatened to close the border. But, in his reaction, Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened to stop buying Thai products and in stead using products from other countries.

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Thaksin flies in to Cambodia storm

Thaksin has been appointed as an economic adviser to the Cambodian government [Reuters]

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Al Jazeera

Thailand's ousted prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, had landed in a new political storm, making a controversial trip to Cambodia as the Thai government accuses him of insulting the country's monarchy.
On Tuesday Thaksin landed in Phnom Penh, taking up his appointment as economic adviser to the Cambodian government in a move likely to aggravate already strained relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, is living in exile to avoid a two-year prison sentence for corruption.
But his appointment as a Cambodian government adviser has outraged Thailand which says it will seek his extradition.
Thaksin's arrival came a day after he stirred up fresh controversy in an interview with a British newspaper in which he was quoted as calling for the reform of the Thai monarchy.
Speaking to The Times, Thaksin spoke glowingly of the prospects for Thailand's Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, once he succeeds his 81-year-old father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has been in hospital for almost two months with a lung ailment.
Thaksin also offered repeated praise for the king, but said the circle of people around him had illegitimately interfered in politics.
"Thailand needs to have a monarchy but it should not be abused or played by the palace circles," he was quoted as saying.
'Misunderstanding'
Asked if the "royal institution" needed reform, he said: "Yes, yes."

Thailand's king has been in hospital for almost two months with a lung ailment [EPA]

Thaksin later said in a statement that the newspaper article had misrepresented his words, saying "the untrue report caused a misunderstanding among readers and Thais".
But Kasit Piromya, Thailand's foreign minister and former anti-Thaksin activist, along with other government officials, condemned the comments as violating the Thai monarchy.
Insulting or defaming the royal family is punishable by up to 15 years in jail in Thailand.
The Thai government has banned publication of the interview, with a spokesman for Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, warning journalists not to report the contents of the interview.
Kasit said the government would seek Thaksin's extradition over the matter, although the Cambodian government has rejected such a suggestion.
"We will not extradite him. We already clarified this case because he is a political victim," Cambodian foreign minstry spokesman Koy Kuong told reporters.
Relations soured
Thaksin's appointment as a Cambodian government advisor has aggravated relations between the neighbouring countries - already soured over competing claims to Preah Vihear, an 11th century temple, and its surrounding areas

Thaksin's "red-shirt" supporters continue to hold regular street protests [EPA]

Both countries have since recalled their ambassadors, and on Tuesday the Thai government announced it was cancelling an oil and gas exploration deal agreeed with Cambodia when Thaksin was prime minister.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, the director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, told Al Jazeera that Thaksin was "on a new campaign to embarrass the Abhisit government" ahead of key regional meetings this week.
But he said Thaksin's comments on the Thai monarchy would "complicate his campaign to bring pressure to bear on the Thai government".
"The danger now for Thaksin is that he is next door but his opponents now will have a field day with what he said about the Thai monarchy.
"On the other hand, I think this government is falling right behind the lese majeste law and movement and it may not be so healthy for Thai society, not to be able to look to the future, not to be able to discuss certain issues out in the open," he told Al Jazeera.
Thitinan said that in such a situation of pent up emotions "it will not be healthy because it could lead to an explosion."
Exile
Thaksin has been in self-imposed exile since being ousted by the military in a 2006 coup. He returned to Thailand briefly last year but fled before being found guilty and sentenced to two years in jail for corruption.
Despite his exile, he remains at the centre of a bitter political fight between his supporters and those of the current government.
He is believed to travel frequently and spends much of his time in Dubai, but his appointment by Cambodia's government would give him a base closer to home from which to organise his campaign to force new elections and return home.
It is not clear how long Thaksin will remain in Cambodia, but he is scheduled to give a lecture on Thursday to 300 economists at the country's ministry of finance.
Khieu Kanharith, the Cambodian information minister and government spokesman, said Cambodia was "looking forward to learning from Thaksin's great economic experience and we are convinced that his experience will contribute to our country's economic development".

Digi was issued first IPTV licence

Monday, 09 November 2009 15:01 Nathan Green

Kazakh firm’s service was OK’d before PPCTV was given its monopoly licence, documents show.

Photo by: Nathan Green

Digi CEO Andrey Shin says he still hopes the government will abide by the decision of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to allow his firm to provide IPTV services.

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We still hope this ... unclear situation will be clarified by the government.

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AMONOPOLY licence granted to Phnom Penh Cable Television (PPCTV) to provide internet protocol television (IPTV) services over its fibre-optic network was granted only after new entrant Digi had already been issued a licence to offer the same services, documents show.
The monopoly licence was issued to the incumbent by the Ministry of Information via a prakas, or edict, dated August 6, 2008, and signed by Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, according to a copy of the licence seen by the Post.
PPCTV owner Sok Chamroeun applied for the licence on August 1, but only after Digi received a licence from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to offer IPTV and Voice over IP (VoIP) services in June 2008. The licence, which Digi made available to the Post, contained no geographical exclusions.
The Ministry of Information had on February 6 of that year issued a prakas authorising Digi to offer cable television services, also signed by Khieu Kanharith. However, that license specified that programming needed to be delivered via the MUDS and DVB-H technologies.
MUDS stands for Multi Unit Dwelling Systems, a technology that is used to distribute a satellite signal to multiple dwellings in a geographically contained area from a base station on-site. DVB-H is a mobile TV technology.
The Ministry of Information is now attempting to prevent Digi, which is operated by Kazakhstan-backed DTV Star, from launching IPTV services over its fibre-optic network, citing the exclusive licence granted to PPCTV.
Andrey Shin, CEO of DTV Star, which operates the Digi brand, said the company had asked both ministries to clarify the situation but had not received a response.
“Our position is that we have the full right to supply IPTV services because we have a licence from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications,” he said.
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun said that jurisdiction over IPTV and related technology had been transferred to the Ministry of Information since the licence was issued. However, he acknowledged that it was unusual for a technology matter to be controlled by a body usually concerned with content.
“In Cambodia, we have a different way of doing some things,” he said.
He said he would support Digi in transferring the licence issued by his ministry to the Information Ministry for ratification.
Khieu Kanharith said he was too busy to comment Sunday.
The order appears to have come from senior government circles. In a letter to Khieu Kanharith dated July 29 sent on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, Council of Ministers Secretary of State Prak Sokhon said that “the government agreed to allow only the PP CABLE TV to keep broadcasting through the IPTV system, while DTV Star Ltd has to transmit its signal wave through MUDS system in compliance with the decision of the Ministry of Information.”
The letter followed a request for guidance from the Information Ministry, a request that was commented on by Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to documents.
A notice circulated by Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun on September 4 to relevant ministries and government offices, including the prime minister’s cabinet, reiterated the instructions from the Council of Ministers.
In the meantime, Shin said, Digi was continuing to negotiate with content providers in preparation for launching the service under its licence. It had already invested in equipment to receive content from providers and was just determining the best way to distribute that content.
The preference was to use IPTV technology, as per its licence, he said.
No investment protection
“We still hope this ambiguous and unclear situation will be clarified by the government,” Shin said. “The government has not provided protection for our investment, but we still hope the government will solve the problem in the near future.”
PPCTV Sales and Marketing Manager Ty Phary refused to comment on the issue, and Sok Chamroeun could not be reached.
A lawyer previously told the Post that Cambodia was free to offer a monopoly licence in the sector, as television broadcasting and distribution was not covered by the country’s World Trade Organisation market-access commitments, but that the monopoly had to be granted under transparent rules. “Whether that was the case here remains to be seen,” the lawyer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Cambodia to lose bt40bln income

• Published: 10/11/2009 at 11:26 AM

Cambodia stands a chance of losing about 30-40 billion baht in tourism income as the latest conflict with Thailand has driven Thai and foreign tourists away, Apichart Sangka-aree, an advisor to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), said on Tuesday.

“On the tourism front, Cambodia will face stronger negative impact from the ongoing dispute than Thailand. European tourists now have refrained from visiting Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and visited the Northeast of Thailand which has similar culture and tourist attractions instead”, Mr Apichart said.

Charoen Wang-ananont, chairman of the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), took the same tone, saying 95 per cent of Thai tourists who had booked tour packages to Cambodia in advance now have cancelled or delayed their visiting plans.

“We found that 20 per cent of them changed their destinations to Laos and another 10 per cent to Burma”, Mr Charoen said. The tourist attractions that coincidently gained benefits from the conflict included Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, Savannakhet, and Jampasak.

More than 600, 000 Thais visited the neighbouring country each year and they spent about 7,000 baht each, while only 60,000 Cambodian traveled to Thailand annually, according to TTAA chairman.

[Bangkok's] Recalling ambassador seen as 'over-reaction' in dispute

7/11/2009
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post

"The only positive factor was that the military on both sides had so far stayed clear of the political gamesmanship" - Charnvit Kasetsiri, a political historian

Thailand may have overreacted by recalling its ambassador to Cambodia in protest against the neighbouring country's appointment of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser, diplomatic sources say.
The government could have taken the lesser action of officially summoning Cambodia's ambassador to Thailand to protest Phnom Penh's decision instead, they said.
The diplomatic fallout over Cambodia's appointment of the fugitive Thaksin could cause significant damage to the Association of South East Asian Nations, a European diplomatic source said.
"If the dispute is not eased, Asean might be seen as a disintegrating grouping when they meet with the US president on the sidelines of Apec [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] summit in Singapore next weekend," the source said.
"Asean has just reaffirmed the building-up of the [Asean economic] community, but the Asean chair [Thailand] and its neighbour [Cambodia] are now fighting."
Diplomats are concerned the flare-up might spoil this weekend's Mekong Summit being held in Japan, which both Thai and Cambodian officials will attend.
Both Thailand and Cambodia have ordered their respective ambassadors home. But this action was not overly serious, a retired Thai ambassador said.
"It is just a show of protest against that country interfering in our affairs."
Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen's comment that Thaksin's prosecution for corruption was politically motivated - implying the Thai judicial system was neither independent nor fair - was far more inflammatory than appointing the criminal as an adviser, the former ambassador said.
"Thaksin was convicted by the Supreme Court, not just an ordinary court, and making such remarks is too much for a sovereign country to remain quiet," he said.
More worrying, there are no guarantees that the situation would not disintegrate into armed conflict between the two nations, said Charnvit Kasetsiri, a political historian.
"It is a pity that we play domestic politics without considering the impact on the little people, especially those along the border and the small and medium-scale businessmen working inside Cambodia," he said.
The only positive factor was that the military on both sides had so far stayed clear of the political gamesmanship, he said.
"Although Thailand's reaction is understandable and natural, hopefully the Thai government will be careful that its actions do not cause the situation to deteriorate," he said.
The latest dispute between Thailand and Cambodia makes a farce of the Asean vision of creating an economic community. It also made the regional bloc look like a clown to the outside world, he said.

A slap in the face of govt

6/11/2009
Bangkok Post EDITORIAL

Good diplomatic relations can be saved for later days when Cambodia has a leader with a genuine desire to make them work for the benefit of his people, not for himself or a favoured friend.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has driven a wedge further into the rocky diplomatic relations between his country and Thailand by appointing deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra his economic adviser. By extending his personal favour to the fugitive leader, Premier Hun Sen has given another slap in the face of Thai government leaders.

The chances are now slim that bilateral ties between the two countries will improve in the near future. This certainly cannot happen when a national leader's acts towards a neighbouring country are dictated by personal friendship and vested interests, not by the benefits of the peoples who share their border.

To say the least, Mr Hun Sen's latest bombshell on the Thai government is highly deplorable in the diplomatic context. On a more critical aspect, the signal he has sent out to the Abhisit Vejjajiva government is more than clear - his regime gives no recognition to the Bangkok leader and it has no respect for Thai law.

While Mr Hun Sen has the right to believe that Mr Thaksin is a political victim, he cannot deny that his decision to accord the former Thai leader such an appointment is a direct interference in Thailand's internal affairs. Relations between the two countries have worsened in recent months because of the Preah Vihear temple conflict. Bringing in the Thaksin issue will only complicate efforts by the two countries to settle the dispute.

Mr Hun Sen may feel satisfied at being able to do his "eternal friend" a favour and embarrass the Thai government at the same time for refusing to sort out the Cambodian-Thai territorial conflict the Cambodian way. However, the Phnom Penh leader must realise that his action will not get the problem solved any sooner. He has only added more resentment to the already bitter conflict, making it harder to resolve.

Thaksin, meanwhile, may feel pleased that while many countries in the West have begun distancing themselves from him, he still has a good friend in Cambodia to help prop up his image. As a former government leader, he should know that his friendship with Mr Hun Sen may not really be eternal when it comes to choosing between friendship and his own interests. Thaksin should remember that it was Mr Hun Sen who ratcheted up the nationalistic fever among Cambodians against the Thais in early 2003, using fabricated information about a Thai actress' claim that Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand.

Mr Hun Sen's criticism of the actress which was broadcast nationwide led to the torching of Thai private and government establishments including the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh. The incident took place while Thaksin was serving as prime minister. It was seen by many as a political game played out by Mr Hun Sen at the cost of Cambodian-Thai friendship, to divert public attention from the political problems he was facing at home before a general election. Thaksin can never be sure this will not recur if he happens to be able to return to power in Thailand and Mr Hun Sen again runs into trouble at home and has his political career to save.

As most Thai and Cambodian people may have been aware, the Hun Sen-Thaksin relationship is only for their own private interests. Bangkok decided yesterday to recall its ambassador. Good diplomatic relations can be saved for later days when Cambodia has a leader with a genuine desire to make them work for the benefit of his people, not for himself or a favoured friend.

Talks dead in the water

Thailand pulls out of maritime negotiations / Agreements with Cambodia reviewed / Countries recall their ambassadors

6/11/2009
Thanida Tansubhapol, Pradit Ruangdit
Bangkok Post and DPA

The Thai government is striking where it believes Cambodia will feel it most by cancelling talks on the disputed maritime boundary in the Gulf of Thailand, a government source says.
The move comes in retaliation for Phnom Penh's decision to appoint ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser, the source said.
The government, with full backing from Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, recalled Thai ambassador to Cambodia Prasas Prasasvinitchai and reviewed all agreements and cooperation with the neighbouring country.
It is the second time in seven years Thailand has recalled its ambassador from the Cambodian capital.
The previous time was in 2003 in protest against its embassy being burned by Cambodian protesters.
The move to freeze the maritime talks followed the announcement by Phnom Penh on Wednesday of the appointment of Thaksin as a personal adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and economic adviser to his administration.
"Any action taken by the Royal Thai Government is to make it known to the Royal Government of Cambodia the resentment of the Thai people," a Thai government statement said.
Thailand has made clear to Cambodia on "several occasions that bilateral relations between the two countries should take precedence over any personal relationship", the statement said.
The retaliation measures did not cover loans allocated to Cambodia, according to Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, secretary to the foreign minister.
Thailand believed Hun Sen was banking on Thaksin's return to power to quickly convert the idea for the two countries to jointly develop the disputed maritime territory in the Gulf of Thailand, rich in natural gas and oil, into practice.
The main target of the Thai measures was to put the negotiations on the issue on hold to express Thailand's displeasure, the source said.
Mr Chavanond confirmed the memorandum of understanding to settle the dispute over the area was among agreements which would be reviewed.
"We have to assess reasons behind the Cambodian government's present position towards Thailand," he said.
"Is the problem now due to misunderstanding or personal interests?"
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An told a news conference in Phnom Penh Cambodian ambassador to Thailand You Aye would leave Bangkok in response to the Thai move to recall its envoy.
"When the Royal Thai Government resumes the mission of their ambassador to Cambodia, then the Cambodian government will decide to send back our ambassador to Bangkok to continue the mission as normal," Sok An said.
"This is a reciprocal action to the decision by Thailand," he said, adding it would not affect relations, "especially in relation to the people living along the two borders".
The spat took place a day before the Thai and Cambodian premiers will join other leaders of the Mekong subregion at a summit with Japan starting today. But the two have no plans to meet each other to mend fences.
Mr Abhisit said Cambodia's decision to appoint Thaksin was a "thumbing of its nose" at the Thai judicial process and this could hurt the feelings of Thai people.
The statement announcing the appointment of Thaksin, which was read on Cambodian state television on Wednesday, said charges against Thaksin were "politically motivated".
However, the government will make sure measures to respond to Cambodia will not have any adverse consequences on the relations between people of the two neighbouring countries, the prime minister said. Mr Abhisit said he believed Thai people and Cambodian people wanted to be good neighbours.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban reiterated that if there was proof Thaksin had settled in Cambodia, the government would take legal steps to have him extradited.
Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the appointment of Thaksin showed Cambodia had rejected Thailand's goodwill and its statement had amounted to an act of interference in Thailand's internal affairs.
A government official familiar with ties with Cambodia, however, was worried about the Thai measures in retaliation to Phnom Penh, which could pose a long-term strain.
"I think they are too harsh," said the official, who requested anonymity.
Former foreign minister Tej Bunnag said the situation would not be conducive to the two countries resolving long-standing border problems.

Thais Recall Ambassador Over Thaksin Job

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
05 November 2009

The Thai government recalled its ambassador from Phnom Penh on Thursday, following a decision by the Cambodian government to appoint ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser to the Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The withdrawal, ordered by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, was another blow to worsening relations between the two countries, which both have troops amassed along an already contentious border.
“We have recalled the ambassador as the first diplomatic retaliation measure to let the Cambodian government know the dissatisfaction of the Thai people,” Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was quoted saying in Bangkok.
“Last night’s announcement by the Cambodian government harmed the Thai justice system and really affected Thai public sentiment,” Agence France-Presse quoted Abhisit saying.
Officials announced on Wednesday that King Norodom Sihamoni had approved Thaksin as an economic adviser to Hun Sen, who has said he would welcome the fugitive official in spite of an extradition treaty with Thailand.

Two killed in severe weather

Wednesday, 04 November 2009 15:02 Khouth Sophakchakrya

One of the relatives of family members who died in a mass electrocution mourns Friday at a pagoda in Phnom Penh. AFP

AT LEAST two people died and three others were injured by a severe storm in the northeastern province of Mondulkiri on Monday, province officials said.
Keo Horn, first deputy governor of Mondulkiri, said heavy rains began falling on the province Sunday. When a storm swept in the following day, a tree fell on a house in Pech Chreada district, killing a mother and daughter and injuring three other villagers.
“The injured villagers have been sent to the provincial hospital for treatment,” Keo Horn said.
Mau Thonnerak, provincial secretary general of the Cambodian Red Cross (CRC), identified the victims as 39-year-old Chhun Sokon and 14-year-old Kean Nary. Their home was completely destroyed, and six others were damaged. Mau Thonnerak said the CRC had given 600,000 riels (US$150) to each family affected. “We are appealing to the villagers to be careful because the weather is still foggy,” he said.
Seth Vannareth, director of the Department of Meteorology, said the storm was not connected with Typhoon Mirinae and did not pose a threat to the rest of the Kingdom. “Cambodia was not affected by Typhoon Mirinae, which is already gone,” she said.
In a separate incident, a father and his four sons died on Friday after they were electrocuted in floodwaters in Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district.
Mork Tina, 18, said her 65-year-old father, Mork En, opened a ground-floor window of his home, which served as a makeshift goods store.
But after touching the metal frame, he collapsed into the floodwaters outside. Mork Tina and her four brothers ran to pull him from the water, unaware of a downed power line under the surface.
“I was hit by an electric shock and lost consciousness. I woke in Calmette Hospital, but I almost died after a doctor told me that my father and brothers had died,” Mork Tina said.
Mork Phea, 30, Mork Livorn, 28, Mork Livin, 26, and Mork Livann, 22, all died along with their father.
The bodies were taken from Calmette Hospital to Oudravadie Pagoda for cremation in a traditional Khmer funeral ceremony paid for by the Russey Keo authorities.
Kliang Hout, governor of Russey Keo district, said he opened a lock in Svay Pak commune on Saturday to drain the floodwaters into the river.
“We feel very sorry that we could not save these five men from the electric shock,” he said, adding that “now the flood ... is subsiding because we opened the lock to release it into the river”.
People living in the flood zone, however, said the lock opening came far too late.
Siang Savoeun, a 27-year-old Russey Keo resident, said: “We called on the authorities to open the lock starting on October 20, but they said they would only open it after the Water Festival. Now they suddenly opened it, probably because they thought these deaths might cause them to lose their positions.”