Thailand Sends Envoys to Cambodia to Restore Diplomatic Ties

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 11, 2003

Thailand Sends Envoys to Cambodia to Restore Diplomatic Ties

Thai diplomats arrived in the Cambodian capital under military guard on Monday to restore some diplomatic ties cut after anti-Thai rioting last month.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Thai diplomats arrived in the Cambodian capital under military guard on Monday to restore some diplomatic ties cut after anti-Thai rioting last month.

Thailand closed its border with Cambodia and evacuated hundreds of its citizens after a mob vandalized and torched the Thai Embassy and dozens of Thai-owned businesses on January 29.

It also downgraded relations and withdrew its ambassador, Chatchawed Chartsuwan.

Charge D'Affaires Kosit Chatpaiboon, who had been airlifted out of Phnom Penh on January 30, returned on Monday along with 20 commandos and 11 embassy staff on a military flight from Bangkok.

Three Cambodian military helicopters escorted the Thai air force plane on its way to Phnom Penh International Airport.

As they stepped off the plane, Chatpaiboon and his entourage were greeted by Cambodian Foreign Affairs Ministry officials and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's personal security detail.

The return of the Thai diplomats is seen as a step toward normalizing relations between the two Southeast Asian neighbors following the riots, which were sparked by false rumors that a Thai television actress had made offensive remarks about Cambodia's famed national symbol, Angkor Wat. The actress has repeatedly denied ever making such remarks.

Cambodia has apologized and promised to compensate Thailand for the damages, estimated by Thai officials at 2 billion baht (US$46.5 million).

Following the Cambodian offer, Thailand eased some restrictions by restoring diplomatic ties to the charge d'affaires level and partially reopening border crossings for exchange of small trade.

The charge d'affaires is being housed in the former Japanese ambassador's residence, which is heavily guarded by Hun Sen's bodyguards.

Chatpaiboon said the embassy's operation will be conducted temporarily out of the former Japanese Embassy compound in the centre of the Cambodian capital.

Source: Agencies

Questions?Comments? Click here

Thaksin Declares Indefinite Close of Thai Embassy in Cambodia

Cambodia to Restore Relations with Thailand

Cambodia apologizes to Thailand for the embassy incident

Spring festival vs.Christmas in the eyes of Chinese youth ( 9 Messages)

China to Train First Psychologists ( 2 Messages)

Japan's Economy: The Largeness of Ship Makes It Hard to Veer Around ( 3 Messages)

Chinese FM Calls for Political Settlement of Iraq issue ( 11 Messages)

Bush Vows to Disarm Iraq by Force if Necessary ( 31 Messages)

Saddam Says Iraq Ready to "Defeat" US Troops ( 31 Messages)