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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Daniel Schearf
Bangkok
06 November 2009
Tensions between Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Cambodia are high after Cambodia's leader appointed a fugitive1 former Thai prime minister as an advisor2. Both countries have withdrawn3 their ambassadors and claim interference in their internal affairs.
Regional political analysts4 say relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh are the worst they have been in several years.
Anti-government demonstrator walks near a poster of former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra in Bangkok (File)
On Friday, Cambodia withdrew its ambassador to Thailand, in retaliation5 for Bangkok's withdrawal6 of its ambassador the day before. Thailand's action came after the Cambodian government of Prime Minister Hun Sen appointed fugitive Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic advisor.
The Thai Ministry7 of Foreign Affairs calls the appointment interference in its domestic affairs and a failure to respect its judicial8 system.
Thani Thonthongpakdi is a Foreign Ministry spokesman. He says Thai-Cambodia relations have been tested for over a year, and tensions are rising.
"We believe that we had to send a strong signal to Cambodia regarding their recent action. I think that the extant to which our bilateral9 relations will be affected10, we will have to see what the reaction on the Cambodian side is," he said.
Thailand says it is now reviewing all its existing agreements and cooperation projects with Cambodia.
Thani says the government will most likely postpone11 or reduce projects if Mr. Thaksin's appointment goes ahead.
Koy Kuong, a spokesman for Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, says despite Thailand's objections, the government will go ahead with Mr. Thaksin's appointment. He says the Thai government is interfering12 in Cambodia's internal affairs by objecting to the appointment.
"The government of Cambodia has no intention to worsen the relationship between the two countries because of the appointment of Thaksin as an economic advisor to the government. So, it is the Thai side which views [it] in [a] different way," he said.
Koy Kuong says Cambodia views the charges against the former prime minister as politically motivated.
Mr. Thaksin was ousted13 in a 2006 military coup14 and fled Thailand last year to avoid a jail term for corruption15.
The former leader is still popular in Thailand's countryside and among the poor because of his social welfare projects.
The argument adds to growing tensions over a disputed border area where sporadic16 fighting has broken out.
Puangtong Pawakapan is a professor of politics at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. She says Cambodia's appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra is pay-back against the Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for disputing the listing of a temple along the border as a world heritage site. The temple is in Cambodia, but Thailand controls land around it.
"I don't think Hun Sen invited Thaksin to be his advisor because he really needs Thaksin's advice no economic issues … I think it's [a] political issue and it's emotional retaliation of Hun Sen on the Abhisit government," said Pawakapan.
The Thailand's ambassador was last withdrawn in 2003 when rioters burned down the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh after a Thai actress questioned Cambodian sovereignty over the border temple.
Despite the withdrawal of ambassadors, both Thailand and Cambodia say normal business and travel relations will not be affected.
1 fugitive | |
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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2 advisor | |
n.顾问,指导老师,劝告者 | |
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3 withdrawn | |
vt.收回;使退出;vi.撤退,退出 | |
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4 analysts | |
分析家,化验员( analyst的名词复数 ) | |
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5 retaliation | |
n.报复,反击 | |
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6 withdrawal | |
n.取回,提款;撤退,撤军;收回,撤销 | |
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7 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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8 judicial | |
adj.司法的,法庭的,审判的,明断的,公正的 | |
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9 bilateral | |
adj.双方的,两边的,两侧的 | |
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10 affected | |
adj.不自然的,假装的 | |
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11 postpone | |
v.延期,推迟 | |
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12 interfering | |
adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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13 ousted | |
驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 ); 革职; 罢黜; 剥夺 | |
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14 coup | |
n.政变;突然而成功的行动 | |
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15 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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16 sporadic | |
adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular;分散的 | |
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