Thai move against Singapore 'a bid to isolate Thaksin'

The Straits Times, January 18, 2007


BANGKOK - THAILAND'S retaliation against Singapore over a visit to the city-state by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is a bid to isolate him and prevent his message from filtering back home, analysts say.

Relations between Singapore and Thailand's military-installed government, already strained over a controversial business deal, took another dip on Tuesday when the Thai Foreign Ministry summoned Singapore's ambassador.

They told him they were rescinding an invitation extended to Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo and suspending a planned exchange programme, prompting Singapore to say it was 'saddened' by the moves.

The animosity stemmed from Mr Thaksin's weekend visit to the island, where he reportedly met a top government official and gave his first media interviews since the Sept 19 coup, in which he criticised the new government and the junta.

'The severity of Thailand's reaction is related to domestic political concerns,' said Assistant Professor Michael Montesano of the South-east Asian Studies programme at the National University of Singapore.

'This is a very sensitive time with regard to Thaksin. The fact that Thaksin entered the country and saw an extremely senior member of the government explains why the Thais view this as a crisis.'

A source at the Council for National Security (CNS) - as the junta calls itself - said military leaders were angry with Singapore and ordered the Foreign Ministry to take decisive diplomatic action.

'Thailand wanted to set the precedent for countries which allow Thaksin to travel and mount political movements or criticise the junta-installed government,' the source said.

Prof Montesano said tensions had been simmering since the military coup here, and pent-up frustrations were being released.

The army-installed government has vowed to investigate the controversial sale of Mr Thaksin's telecommunications giant, Shin Corp, to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Singapore said on Sunday that Mr Thaksin was in the city-state on a private visit and had requested to meet Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar, who was an 'old friend'.

Tensions were further heightened when Mr Thaksin gave his first interviews since the coup from the city-state, telling American media that Thailand should return to democracy quickly.

He also attacked the new government's economic policy, which has been blamed for last month's financial crisis that saw the stock market fall a record 15 per cent.

'Singapore can control the media, (and) Thaksin used Singapore as a base to attack the government and attack the CNS,' said political analyst Panitan Wattanayagorn of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

However, analysts agreed the dispute was a blip in relations rather than a signal of worsening diplomatic ties to come.

'They will work it out...I think all of us here are neighbours, and between neighbours, there are always disputes,' said Mr Rodolfo Severino, former secretary-general of Asean and now a visiting senior research fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Meanwhile, the Thai government is considering further measures aimed at isolating Mr Thaksin.

The government last week revoked Mr Thaksin's diplomatic passport, while the junta ordered television and radio stations not to broadcast statements from the ousted leader.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE