Thaksin Lands Phnom Penh Amid Tightened Security

Former fugitive Thai PM Thaksin Sinawatra on Tuesday morning landed at a Phnom Penh military airport.

Tight security with many soldiers and police deployed ensured a safe arrival for Thaksin.
Hing Bun Heang, the Royal Government of Cambodia Air Forces (RCAF) Deputy Chief and Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen’s body guard headquarter chief and Prak Sokhun, Secretary of Stare of the Council for Ministers along with the Premier’s oldest son, Hun Maneth accompanied by high ranking soldiers and police.
Thaksin’s arrival in Cambodia come after the Cambodian King endorsed him as advisor to the Government and the premier’s economic advisor. Thaksin’s presence will be his first visit to Cambodia after he was ousted by a military coup in September, 2006. He has previously visited Siem Reap province to play goal with PM Hun Sen.
Following Thaksin’s arrival in Cambodia, Bangkok leaders are said to be focusing on seeking to extradite Thaksin from Cambodia, but the Cambodian Government has already stressed it will not extradite Thaksin from Thailand. “Thaksin will visit Phnom Penh this week and he is to lecture over 300 Cambodian economists at the Ministry of Economy and Finance on Thursday,” the premier told reporters at Phnom Penh International Airport after he returned from Tokyo.
Thaksin, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 before being toppled in a bloodless coup, faces a two-year jail sentence in Thailand for abuse of power. He has been living in self-imposed exile, mostly in Dubai, since August 2008.
Thaksin was overthrown after he lost the backing of Thailand’s Bang kok-based middle class and political elite. He remains popular with the poor because of his populist economic policies.
Thailand withdrew its ambassador to Phnom Penh last week after the Cambodian government announced Thaksin’s appointment. Cambodia reciprocated by recalling its ambassador as ties between the neighbors hit their lowest point in years.