The uncanny stance taken by Cambodia's PM Hun Sen at the ASEAN Summit in Thailand certainly raises many an eye-brows in the regional grouping. Prior to his allegience of friendship with Thaksin (outside Thai PM), Hun Sen had not made any public proclamation of the ties between them. Not only had Hun Sen not behaved well as the guest in a host country, but he has taken the additional step of creating a wedge between himself and the Thai PM Abhisit Vijjajiva at a meeting that is meant to be a dialogue among neighbours. Whether or not Hun Sen words are just rhetoric and his pronoucement to offer Thaksin the job as his country's economic adviser is a theatrical act to capture the awe of his audience, it certainly undermines the attempt by the regional group to promote a united front of Southeast Asian nations.
What's the motivation behind this whole episode could perhaps be seen in the context of the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand. The undulating terrain between the two countries are known to be havens for smugglers of all trades. Both countries from the economic standpoint are at different levels of playing field, and indeed the Thai army is better equipped than the Cambodians. But, one must not forget the ruthlessness and ferocity of the Cambodians during the regime of the Khmer Rouge. Certainly in a jungle warfare, military hardware may not always give the ground troops an upper hand, from the lessons learnt during the US-Vietnam War and even now in the war in Afghanistan and in Pakistan against the Talibans and others.
Pride takes on a high price in Asian culture. Both Hun Sen and Abhisit may find it difficult to come together for a handshake after the latter remarks about Thaksin. Now ASEAN has not only Mynammar (with its infamous human rights track record) as a thorn in their flesh, but the row between Cambodia and Thailand as a fish bone in its throat.
