[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.