PHNOM PENH, Nov. 12 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Thailand's fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra gave a lecture to Cambodian economists Thursday in Phnom Penh, while Thailand's current leader called an urgent National Security Council meeting in Bangkok to consider Thai-Cambodian relations following Phnom Penh's refusal to extradite Thaksin.
Lecturing to some 300 Cambodian economists as well as government and parliament figures, Thaksin spoke of his successes as prime minister before he was ousted in 2006, such as in helping Thailand's rural poor in health, education and financial support.
He also touched on the global economic crisis, the future of the global economy, tourism, agriculture, and micro-finance, but not on politics.
At the event, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chon hailed Thaksin's achievements in reducing rural poverty and introducing universal healthcare, which he said "allowed him to galvanize the vast and largely untapped support base of the rural poor."
"Thaksinomics or his economic policies helped accelerate Thailand's economic recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis and substantially reduce poverty. Whatever the critics say about Thaksinomics, the achievements were astonishing," he added.
Meanwhile, amid deteriorating bilateral ties, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called an urgent meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday morning to consider what further steps to take in reaction to Cambodia's appointment of Thaksin as an economic adviser and its refusal to extradite him to Thailand.
Thaksin served as Thailand's prime minister from 2001 until he was toppled by a military coup in 2006 and fled into exile. He was sentenced in absentia to two years imprisonment for breaking a conflict of interest law while he was in power.
He was appointed as a personal adviser to Hun Sen and an economic adviser to the Cambodian government on Oct. 27, a move that Abhisit's government called an insult to the Thai judicial system.
Amid the diplomatic standoff, Thailand has already withdrawn its ambassador from Phnom Penh and axed bilateral negotiations on overlapping maritime claims in protest.
Abhisit said Thursday that his government will also review its cooperation with Cambodia in various areas and take such measures as restricting the flow of people crossing the border to gamble in casinos in Cambodia.
But he said the border will not be closed, nor will Thailand resort to military force to punish Cambodia.
Hun Sen's government has refused to extradite Thaksin on grounds that an extradition treaty in effect between the two countries since 1998 does not apply to cases on which the alleged offense of a political nature.
The government's spokesman has also quoted the adage "a friend in need is a friend in deed" in inviting Thaksin to stay as long as he wants in Cambodia.
Hun Sen and Thaksin have known each other for nearly 20 years, beginning when Thaksin was still a businessman, and Hun Sen calls him an "eternal friend."
Since arriving in Cambodia on Tuesday, Thaksin has met twice with Hun Sen. He is scheduled to tour the Angkor temples in Cambodia's northern province of Siem Reap beginning from Thursday afternoon and play golf with Hun Sen there the next day.
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