Cambodia ex-leader Hun Sen and Thailand's prime minister make separate visits to tense border areas
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia's powerful former leader Hun Sen and Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on Thursday made separate visits to border areas as the two countries remain locked in an ongoing dispute that has resulted in strict land crossing restrictions and several economic boycotts.
Hun Sun and Paetongtarn didn't meet. Relations between the neighboring nations have deteriorated following an armed confrontation on May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in contested territory along their border.
While the two sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute, they have continued to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high.
Hun Sen posted on his social media after the visit that more troops and weapons have been mobilized to several border areas between Cambodia and Thailand after the clash. He said that soldiers 'are constantly prepared to defend the territory in case of any invasion by the Thai army.'
He did not elaborate on when exactly the reinforcement happened, or how many soldiers and what kinds of weapons were deployed. But days after the dispute erupted, several videos of tanks and armed forces were filmed and posted on social media as they moved past Phnom Penh.
Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades, was seen wearing a military uniform, shaking hands with military commanders and government officials who waited to greet him as he got off a military helicopter. It was the first time that he paid a visit to the border since the latest conflict was triggered. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visited the troops and civilians at the border on Monday.
Hun Sen remains powerful although he stepped down as Cambodia's prime minister in August 2023 and handed over power to Hun Manet, his oldest son. Hun Sen continues to hold several major positions in the country, including Senate president.
Thai regional army commander Boonsin Padklang, who's in charge of the area where the clash happened, told reporters earlier this week that he was aware of Cambodia's reinforcements along the border, and that the Thai forces were also ready to secure the border situation if necessary. He didn't say whether Thailand had also deployed more troops and weapons to the border.
The Thai army this week imposed heightened restrictions at border checkpoints with Cambodia following an order from Paetongtarn to allow only students, medical patients and others with essential needs to enter or leave Thailand. That also makes it impossible for thousands of tourists to cross between the two countries.
Paetongtarn on Thursday made a visit to the border town of Aranyaprathet, a major trade hub between Thailand and Cambodia that has felt much of the impact from retaliatory measures from both sides. She met with troops and local authorities, and visited a school to discuss the effects of the new restrictions
Cambodia's government has accused Thailand of escalating tensions with new land crossing restrictions. Cambodia has boycotted some Thai internet services, banned Thai fruits and vegetables, and blocked electricity and fuel supplies from Thailand in response to the border dispute. Prior to the boycott, Cambodia imported 30% of its gasoline and other fuel from Thailand.
Last week, a leaked phone call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen set off political turmoil in Thailand, shattering Paetongtarn's already fragile coalition government and triggering a string of investigations that could lead to her removal.
There is a long history of territorial disputes between the two countries. Thailand is still rattled by a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling that awarded Cambodia the disputed territory where the historic Preah Vihear temple stands. There were sporadic though serious clashes there in 2011. The ruling from the U.N. court was reaffirmed in 2013.
Cambodia said that it's seeking a ruling for several border dispute areas again from the ICJ. Thailand has said that it doesn't accept the jurisdiction of the ICJ and called for Cambodia to resolve the conflict through existing bilateral mechanisms.
Officials from the two countries have scheduled a joint committee meeting for September to resolve the border tensions. Both sides met earlier this month, but failed to achieve any major breakthrough.
___
Jintamas Saksornchai reported from Bangkok.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
37 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Brazil's outspoken first lady is coming under fire, but she refuses to stop speaking out
SAO PAULO (AP) — In early May, an air of triumph filled a dinner in Beijing, where Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrated a diplomatic victory: businessmen travelling with him said they had secured billions of dollars in investments as the veteran leader renewed his international prestige standing alongside his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. But then Brazilian first lady Rosângela da Silva, better known as Janja, raised her hand. Although no one was expected to speak, da Silva addressed Xi, saying that Chinese social media company TikTok posed a challenge for leftists, claiming its algorithm favors right-wingers. China's president reportedly answered. The exchange was leaked to Brazilian media by the time dessert was served. Lula's government is grappling with unpopularity that has dented his credentials as the frontrunner for reelection next year. Some analysts, including members of his government, attribute this partly to his wife's perceived overstepping in what was once a ceremonial role. Janja, a 58-year-old sociologist, has drawn criticism for insulting tech billionaire Elon Musk , mocking the suicide of a pro-Jair Bolsonaro supporter and advising the president on how to use the military during the Jan. 8, 2023 riots in the capital, Brasilia. Still, she insists she will speak out whenever it serves the public interest. A Datafolha poll released June 12 found that 36% of Brazilians think the first lady's actions hurt the government, while 14% say they are helpful. It was the pollster's first measure of the first lady's approval. The same poll showed Lula with a 40% job disapproval rating, an 8 percentage point increase from October 2024. Brazil's presidency said in a statement to The Associated Press on June 20 that da Silva adheres to the solicitor-general's office guidelines, adding that she 'acts as a citizen, combining her public visibility with the experience she has built throughout her professional career in support of relevant social issues and matters of public interest.' 'Undue interference' Under guidelines published by the solicitor-general's office, the president's spouse primarily fulfills 'a symbolically representative role on behalf of the president in a social, cultural, ceremonial, political or diplomatic nature.' For many of her critics, this does not grant her the authority to speak as a government representative. Brazilian media have reported that government ministers, lawmakers and staunch leftist campaigners are privately raising concerns about the first lady being a hindrance more than an asset. These worries have skyrocketed since the incident in China — even as Lula himself has praised his wife for speaking out. 'It looks like Brazil is governed by a couple,' said Beatriz Rey, a political science postdoctoral and research fellow at the University of Lisbon. 'When (the first lady) says there won't be any protocols to silence her, she disrespects our democratic institutions for she has no elected office, no government position. It is not about being a woman or a feminist. It is undue interference.' 'Present and vocal' Lula's first wife, Maria de Lourdes, died in 1971. His second, Marisa Letícia, died in 2017. Lula, 79, and Janja said they met in 2017 and started seeing each other frequently during the leftist leader's 580 days in jail in the city of Curitiba between 2018 and 2019. They married in 2022. Many supporters of Lula's Workers' Party partly attribute the criticism against the first lady to misinformation and disinformation. In May, the party launched the 'I am with Janja' social media campaign in her defense. But the week-long effort garnered less than 100,000 views and only a few hundred comments. 'Janja is an asset because she rejuvenates Lula, everyone in the government understands that, even her critics,' a Brazilian government source told the AP. 'No one wants to alienate her. But many important people in Brasilia, friends and allies of Lula, do understand that by overstepping she brings some of her rejection to the president.' The source, who spoke under condition of anonymity for lack of authorization to speak about the matter publicly, often travels with the president and the first lady. Adriana Negreiros, a journalist who profiled the first lady for a 2024 podcast titled 'Janja,' said that allies of the president who criticize her do it with extreme caution. '(Janja) dances, sings, speaks out, appears at official events and meetings with heads of state. She insists on being present and vocal,' Negreiros said. 'There's a lot of sexism and misogyny directed at her, no doubt. But not all criticism is sexist.' 'She will say what she wants' Da Silva said she doesn't go to dinners 'just to accompany' her husband. 'I have common sense. I consider myself an intelligent person. So I know very well what my limits are. I'm fully aware of that,' she told a podcast of daily Folha de S. Paulo. Da Silva did, however, express remorse during the same podcast for the expletive she used against Musk in 2024, once a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump . Many of Lula's adversaries say they want the first lady to remain in the spotlight. 'The more she speaks, the more she holds a microphone, the more she helps the right wing,' said Nikolas Ferreira, one of Brazil's most popular right-wing lawmakers. Ferreira, a prominent social media figure, claims the role of regulating social media is a matter for Brazil's Congress, not for the first lady to debate with foreign leaders like Xi. Da Silva is also expected to play as a keen hostess at the BRICS summit in Rio on July 6-7, a role her husband is almost certain not to oppose. 'She will be wherever she wants,' Lula told journalists in March following criticism for sending the first lady as his representative to a nutrition summit in Paris that month. 'She will say what she wants and go wherever she wants.' ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
40 minutes ago
Thailand starts banning the sale of cannabis without a prescription
BANGKOK -- Thailand has started banning the sale of cannabis to those without a prescription, three years after becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize the plant. The new order, signed by Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin earlier this week, came into effect Thursday after it was published in the Royal Gazette. It bans shops from selling cannabis to customers without a prescription and reclassifies cannabis buds as a controlled herb. The order cited a punishment from the 1999 Act of Protection and Promotion of Traditional Thai Medicine Wisdom, in which a violation would result in a maximum one-year jail term and a 20,000-baht ($614) fine. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, in charge of enforcing regulations related to cannabis, held a meeting Friday with officials across the country to prepare them for the change. The move to decriminalize in 2022 had boosted Thailand's tourism and farming industries, and spawned thousands of shops. But the country has faced public backlash over allegations that a lack of regulation made the drug available to children and caused addiction. Treechada Srithada, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, said in a statement Thursday that cannabis use in Thailand would become 'fully for medical purposes.' She said shops that violate the order will be closed and the ministry will also tighten requirements for approval of a new license in the future. She said there are curently 18,000 shops that hold a license to sell cannabis. The ruling Pheu Thai Party previously promised to criminalize the drug again, but faced strong resistance from its former partner in the coalition government, the Bhumjaithai Party, which supported decriminalization. Bhumjaithai quit the coalition last week over a leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The move to restrict cannabis sales came after officials last month revealed that cannabis smuggling cases involving tourists had soared in recent months. Somsak told reporters Tuesday he would like to relist cannabis as a narcotic in the future. Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board said a study conducted by the agency last year found the number of people addicted to cannabis had spiked significantly after it was decriminalized. A group of cannabis advocates said Wednesday that the change in regulations was politically motivated and that they will rally at the Health Ministry next month to oppose the change and any attempt to make it a criminal offense again to consume or sell cannabis.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Thailand starts banning the sale of cannabis without a prescription
BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand has started banning the sale of cannabis to those without a prescription, three years after becoming the first country in Asia to decriminalize the plant. The new order, signed by Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin earlier this week, came into effect Thursday after it was published in the Royal Gazette. It bans shops from selling cannabis to customers without a prescription and reclassifies cannabis buds as a controlled herb. The order cited a punishment from the 1999 Act of Protection and Promotion of Traditional Thai Medicine Wisdom, in which a violation would result in a maximum one-year jail term and a 20,000-baht ($614) fine. The Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, in charge of enforcing regulations related to cannabis, held a meeting Friday with officials across the country to prepare them for the change. The move to decriminalize in 2022 had boosted Thailand's tourism and farming industries, and spawned thousands of shops. But the country has faced public backlash over allegations that a lack of regulation made the drug available to children and caused addiction. Treechada Srithada, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, said in a statement Thursday that cannabis use in Thailand would become 'fully for medical purposes.' She said shops that violate the order will be closed and the ministry will also tighten requirements for approval of a new license in the future. She said there are curently 18,000 shops that hold a license to sell cannabis. The ruling Pheu Thai Party previously promised to criminalize the drug again, but faced strong resistance from its former partner in the coalition government, the Bhumjaithai Party, which supported decriminalization. Bhumjaithai quit the coalition last week over a leaked phone call between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. The move to restrict cannabis sales came after officials last month revealed that cannabis smuggling cases involving tourists had soared in recent months. Somsak told reporters Tuesday he would like to relist cannabis as a narcotic in the future. Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board said a study conducted by the agency last year found the number of people addicted to cannabis had spiked significantly after it was decriminalized. A group of cannabis advocates said Wednesday that the change in regulations was politically motivated and that they will rally at the Health Ministry next month to oppose the change and any attempt to make it a criminal offense again to consume or sell cannabis.
