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Thai gov't expels Cambodian diplomat

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-12 21:34

PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian government announced Thursday to expel a Thai diplomat and asks him to leave Phnom Penh within 48 hours starting from 5 p.m. Thursday.

Koy Kong, spokesman of Cambodian Foreign Ministry, said that the government has expelled a first secretary of Thai embassy in Phnom Penh and ordered him to leave here within 48 hours. "He has conducted something against his diplomatic status."

Meanwhile, Thai side also expelled the Cambodian first secretary from its embassy in Bangkok, according to the news from Bangkok said.

Related readings:  Cambodia denies Thailand's Thaksin extradition request  Thailand recalls ambassador to Cambodia

The tit-for-tat moves between the two countries came as Cambodia appointing ousted Thai former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as economic adviser of Cambodian government and Prime Minister Hun Sen last week. Thailand recalled its ambassador on November 5, and Cambodia followed suit.

Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup for alleged massive corruption and other charges. His supporters say he should be pardoned and returned to power. Since the coup, Thaksin has lived abroad to escape a corruption conviction and two-year prison sentence.

Thaksin arrived here on Tuesday and give his first lecture on Thursday to 300 Cambodian economic experts at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

After his arrival, Thailand government asked Cambodia to "provisional arrest for the purpose of extradition of Thaksin, but was turned down by Cambodian government saying it "considers the prosecution and legal process against Thaksin Shinawatra as a politically motivated proceeding."