Recalling Ambassador An Over-reaction

Recalling ambassador an 'over-reaction'

Thailand may have overreacted by recalling its ambassador to Cambodia in protest against the neighbouring country's appointment of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an economic adviser, the Bangkok Post said quoting diplomatic sources on 07/11/09. The government could have taken the lesser action of officially summoning Cambodia's ambassador to Thailand to protest Phnom Penh's decision instead, they said. More worrying, there are no guarantees that the situation would not disintegrate into armed conflict between the two nations, said Charnvit Kasetsiri, a political historian. "It is a pity that we play domestic politics without considering the impact on the little people, especially those along the border and the small and medium-scale businessmen working inside Cambodia," he said. The dispute made Asean look like a clown to the outside world, he added.