Cambodia link to Abhisit assassination plot dismissed

Cambodian officials have said that Prime Minister Hun Sen would “absolutely not” discuss allegations that anti-government activists from Thailand received weapons training in Cambodia during a meeting later this month with Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva.

On Monday, an official from Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation reportedly alleged that a group of 11 antigovernment Red Shirt activists arrested in Thailand this month had received instruction from Cambodian troops during a three-week training session in the Kingdom earlier this year.

The activists, DSI investigator Payao Thongsen reportedly said, were part of a group of 39 people preparing to assassinate Abhisit and other Thai public figures. Cambodian officials have strongly denied the allegations.

“The report from the Thai department of special investigation is rubbish and could provoke tension between the two countries, whose relations have been steadily improving,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Koy Kuong said. Thailand’s MCOT state news agency and the Bangkok Post quoted Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn as saying yesterday that Abhisit would “seek clarification” on the matter from Hun Sen when the two attend a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Hanoi later this month.

Reached by phone yesterday afternoon, Panitan said only that Abhisit was looking forward to a “fruitful” discussion with Hun Sen in Hanoi.

“The Thai government does not accuse our neighbours of wrongdoing,” Panitan said The Bangkok Post has also reported that Thawil Pliensri, the secretary general of Thailand’s national security council, said it was true that the Red Shirts had undergone weapons training in Cambodia, but stressed the Thai government was “not making any accusation” against Cambodia.

Sourced=phnompenhpost