Protesters yesterday threatened to surround the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok next month unless Prime Minister Hun Sen withdrew his troops and removed the Cambodian community from the disputed area adjacent to Preag Vihear Temple.
Some 30 people led by the People's Allicane for Democracy (PAD) made a brief protest at Puk Tien bech in Cha-am district, about 10 kilometres from the Asean Summit venue, in response to strong remarks made by Hun Sen this week regarding dugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thailand and Cambodia have been at loggerheads over the disputed area near the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear for a long time, but the issue heated up a year ago when it was listed as a World Heritage Site.
The issue of Thaksin added fuel to the conflict when Hun Sen said he would make the fugitive ex-premier his economic adviser and would not extradite him to Thailand.
Such remarks have heightened tensions with the Thai government, which is seeking to apprehend Thaksin, who has been sentenced to a two years' prison sentence in a corruption case.
The protesters handed over their letter to the Foreign Ministry's director-general of Asean Affairs, Vitavas Srivihok, demanding Cambodian troop withdrawal and the removal of the Cambodian community from the area within a week.
They condemned Hun Sen's recent remarks and wanted the Cambodian premier to leave Thailand immediately, as he was not attending the Asran Summit in a spirit of goodwill.
Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said his government had allowed the protesters to exercise their freedom of expression in accordance with democratic primciples.
The government will take their demands into consideration and will convey them to the neighbouring country if necessary, he said.
The government will not however allow one incident to jeopardise relations between the two countries, which have a lot of areas of mutual interest, he said, adding that the government will deal with Hun Sen in a cool manner.
"We have been together with Samdech Hun Sen the whole day in the [Asean] meeting. I think he participated in every session in a very constructive manner," Kasit said.
Hun Sen even supported Thailand's intention to be a temporary surveillance unit of the Chiang Mai Initiaitve Multilateralisation, the minister said.
Regarding Thaksin, Kasit maintained his hope that Hun Sen would be able to distinguish personal affairs from the multual interests of the two countries.
"I don't knwo whether Prime Minister Hun Sen has invited Thaksin to visit Cambodia after he has served his jail term in Thailand or not," he said.
If Thaksin were to be in Cambodia before serving his sentence, the government would seek his extradition in accordance with the bilateral treaty, Kasit said.
They condemned Hun Sen's recent remarks and wanted the Cambodian PM to leave Thailand immediately, as he was not attending the Asean Summit in a spirit of goodwill.
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