Saturday, 17 May 2008

Spokesman denies Thaksin-Phreah Vihear link

(BangkokPost.com) - Pongthep Thepkanchana, spokesman of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, dismissed accusation that Mr Thaksin is behind a so-called plan to trade off land below Phreah Vihear for oil and gas concession.

The government has denied there is any such plan, and has vowed never to yield "one square inch" of Thai border territory to Cambodia, especially around the Cambodian temple.

Mr Pongthep said the disputes over the Phreah Vihear has been unsettled a long time ago.

He insisted that the Thai government will have to protect the benefit of the country, and such accusations are not true.

He refused to answer questions about Mr Thaksin's reported plan to build a casino and entertainment complex on the main island off the Cambodian province of Koh Kong, just south of Trat, saying he knows nothing about it.

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama, a former Thaksin spokesman, addressed roughly the same conspiracy theory, and denied that the project to construct Thai Route No 48 project including four bridges in the south of Trat province near Koh Kong was developed for the benefit of Mr Thaksin.

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh on Friday confirmed that Mr Thaksin may be on the verge of an agreement to develop the island Koh Kong, off the west coast of the province of the same name.

The road, costing one billion baht, was supposedly built to facilitate the transport of goods from Cambodia to Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri, passing through Trat.

Mr Noppadon told reporters he believes Mr Thaksin will not be able to start a Cambodian business until authorities release 50 to 60 billion baht ordered frozen by the military-appointed committee set up to investigate alleged corruption charges.

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