Thaksin leaves Cambodia after controversial visit

Thaksin leaves Cambodia after controversial visitPhnom Penh  - Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra flew out of tourist town of Siem Reap on Saturday, the Cambodian government confirmed, bringing to an end a controversial visit.

"He left at 10 o'clock," said government spokesman Phay Siphan, adding that he did not know Thaksin's destination.

Thaksin's appointment as adviser to the Cambodian government and subsequent visit led relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok to a new low, and sparked diplomatic concerns in the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations.

"Thaksin did not say anything about territory or about conflict, but about peaceful living. That's the message from Thaksin," Phay Siphan said.

He said the problems that had erupted between the two nations had nothing to do with Cambodia, but were related to internal political battles in Thailand between the opposing parties.

"The trouble between the two different colours always gives us a problem," he said, referring to the yellow-shirted Thai nationalists who favour Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, and Thaksin's red-shirted supporters.

Thaksin arrived in Cambodia Tuesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Hun Sun. On Thursday he spoke to a group of 250 government officials, economists and business people, one day after Cambodia had refused a Thai extradition request.

Relations took another knock on Thursday after Cambodia arrested a Thai national and accused him of spying for the Thai government by seeking out Thaksin's flight details.

Phay Siphan said Cambodia is interested in peace between the two nations, not tension. He said that stance was evident in the decision by Prime Minister Hun Sen to pull out troops from the disputed border area around the ancient Preah Vihear temple during Thaksin's visit.

"It sends a message of peace between the two nations," he said.

Both countries withdrew their respective ambassadors a week ago after Thaksin's appointments were announced. The spying allegation led Cambodia to expel the Thai first secretary at the embassy in Phnom Penh, to which Thailand responded by ordering Cambodia's first secretary to leave Bangkok.

Thaksin, who was prime minister from 2001-06 before being toppled in a bloodless coup, faces a two-year jail sentence in Thailand for abuse of power. He fled the country and has lived in self-imposed exile, mostly in Dubai, since August 2008. (dpa)