Thursday, 16 April 2009

Thai Prime Minister Cancels State Visit

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
15 April 2009

Thailand’s prime minister has postponed an April trip to Cambodia, as political turmoil in Thailand continues to shake the government.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had planned to visit April 18, where he was scheduled to return seven Angkorian statues to Cambodia and hold talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen and King Norodom Sihamoni.

Abhisit’s government is facing a wave of protests from supporters of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and tens of thousands of red-shirted demonstrators swarmed the capital and clashed with police earlier this week.

A Thai Embassy official in Phnom Penh confirmed the cancellation and said no date has yet been set for another visit.

Cambodian and Thailand are engaged in a protracted border dispute, with hundreds of troops on each side entrenched near Preah Vihear temple, the site of small clashes and several casualties earlier this month.

No comments: