Fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra received a warm welcome on his arrival in Phnom Penh yesterday to serve as an economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
After his private jet landed at Phnom Penh International Airport in the morning, he was whisked away in a motorcade to Hun Sen's official residence.
Thaksin's first day in the Cambodian capital began with a series of courtesy calls to senior people in the ruling Cambodian People's Party and ended in dinner with Hun Sen and his family.
It is said he was treated to a nine-course meal of various traditional delicacies. According to Thai belief, nine is considered a lucky number.
Upon landing in Phnom Penh, Thaksin posted a Twitter message saying he had landed, but was "really homesick".
"Tonight I will dine with P M Hun Sen and his family. I want to reiterate that nation, religion and the monarchy are always on my mind," he wrote.
However, Thaksin's arrival in Phnom Penh angered the Thai government, which retaliated by tearing up the maritime memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries during Thaksin's time. Sources say the government fears that the ex-PM, who knows each and every detail about the pact, might reveal some national secrets to his new boss.
The MoU was signed in 2001 to thrash out matters involving the demarcation of territorial waters and the joint development area in the Gulf of Thailand, where abundant reserves of natural gas are believed to be waiting to be discovered.
Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the MoU was not meant for Cambodia alone, but would benefit both parties. He added that the agreement had been signed by two nations, and could not be broken by one party.
Thaksin's move benefits both the ousted leader and his Cambodian host, but could bring the two countries closer to war, analysts have said.
Analysts said all three parties could lose if the temperature boiled over and fresh clashes erupted.
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