PM urges Thaksin to think about Thailand first

Abhisit reiterated that the Thai government's decision to downgrade diplomatic relations with its neighbour Cambodia is not considered severe.

Abhisit was attending the two-day Japan-Mekong summit in Tokyo which ended earlier Saturday.

The problem was not caused by Thailand, he said, adding that what the Cambodian government did affected the Thai judicial system directly.

Thaksin is also a Thai and he should have realised the impact, but he instead charged that the Thai government had caused the problem.

"In fact, Mr Thaksin should review his role of what he's doing and think of the country's interests as his priority and also to think on good relations with the country's neighbours as well," said Abhisit.

His remarks were made after Thaksin criticised the Thai government's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties with Cambodia after the country appointed Thaksin as an economic adviser.

Both countries have recalled their ambassadors while Thailand considers revoking a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries on overlapping maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Thailand as the MoU would be affected by Thaksin's appointment as economic advisor to the Cambodian government.

The MoU regarding the Area of their Overlapping Maritime Claims to the Continental Shelf, dated 18 June 2001 was signed by then-foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An during the Thaksin administration.