Cambodia-Thailand Boundary: A must-read document by the US Dept. of State

http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/LimitsinSeas/IBS040.pdf

Please click here to read document in PDF

Posted by Heng Soy at KI-Media

Cambodia-Vietnam Boundary: A must-read document by the US Dept. of State

Cambodia-Vietnam Boundary: A must-read document by the US Dept. of State

Click here to read the document (PDF)

Acknowledgement: Thank you to Kok Sap from Khamerlogue for bringing up this document!

I. BOUNDARY BRIEF

The Cambodia - Vietnam boundary extends for approximately 763 miles between the Gulf of Thailand and the tripoint with Laos. The boundary stems from treaties negotiated between France and Cambodia in the 19th century and from decrees issued by the Governor General of Indochina during the French administrative period. Several segments along the land boundary have been open to dispute, and sovereignty over certain islands in the Gulf of Thailand has been claimed by both states.

Original posted by Socheata at KI Media

Hun Sen praised Vietnamese army for liberating Cambodia from Pol Pot

By Khmerization

Prime Minister Hun Sen (pictured) has praised Vietnam for helping to liberate Cambodia from the yoke of the Khmer Rouge regime, reports Radio Free Asia.

Speaking on the 30th anniversary of a Government and NGO Partnerships on 25th November, Mr. Hun Sen said Cambodia owed a big gratitude to Vietnam. "The one who came to help Cambodia in the 1980s and the one who came to help Cambodia during a time that Cambodia was faced with political and economic sanctions was the one whom we owed the biggest gratitude to", he said.

He added that the Cambodian people had suffered more in the 1980s, after the liberation, due to international sanctions and international supports for the Khmer Rouge. "And the people who supported Pol Pot, after the liberation, after we have toppled Pol Pot, have imposed sanctions on us as the victims of Pol Pot. How do they face up to the moral responsibility?", he added.

The appeal by Mr. Hun Sen for all Khmers to acknowledge Vietnam's gratitude has come under criticism from the opposition parties and critics who said that Vietnam invaded Cambodia and planned to stay permanently, only to withdraw its troops after strong pressures from the international community.

Mr. Son Chhay, MP from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, said the Khmer Rouge movement was originally created with the supports of Vietnam. Vietnam only turned against the Khmer Rouge after it stood up to Vietnam's violations of Cambodian territorial integrity. "We must separate clearly the reasons and basis of the invasion and what were the evidences that happened coincidentally was the fact that our people had escaped from the genocide which was helped by the same army (Vietnamese army who supported Pol Pot). In the future, for our neighbours, we cannot always be reminded about the gratitude of these countries all the time, he said.

At the same time, Mr. Hun Sen takes an indirect swipe at Thailand for threatening to close the borders with Cambodia after diplomatic row between the two countries recently. He insinuated that international sanctions in the 1980s did not succeed in bringing Cambodia to its knees. He threatened that should Thailand close the borders, Cambodia will not allow Thai goods to be exported to Cambodia where Thailand had a trade surplus of around $2 billion per year.

Border Report expressed Vietnam thieves stole Cambodian land

This is the border report that Gen. Ke Kim Yan sent to Hun Sen on August 12, 1999 when he hold his previous position, Commander in Chief of General.  Please click to download the Border Report 1999  by Ke  

 

Contribution of Hing Soksan

Originally posted at: Let's Go Media

Cambodian Community in Philadelphia purchased additional buildings

Buddhism in London

A group of Buddhists in London

Buddhism

Welcome to our section dedicated to the Buddhist community in London. Find out the origins of the Bhuddist faith and how the 2,500 teachings of Siddartha Gautama influence the lives of many Londoners today.

Photo courtesy of London Buddhist Centre

There is a thriving Buddhist community in London with many centres offering urban retreats and meditation courses. Although there are many traditions of Buddhism, they all share the goal of making an inner change in order to create a happier, healthier planet. Buddhism is based on the 2,500 year old teachings of Siddartha Gautama, or Shakyamuni Buddha, in Northern India.

Buddhist Festivals

Although there are a number of Buddhist festivals and most are celebrated during the advent of a full moon, the four main Buddhist festivals are;
Wesak which marks Enlightenment of Buddha.
Sangha Day represents the celebration of Buddhists followers who have reached Enlightenment.
Dharma known as the First Turning of the Wheel celebrates Buddha's first passing of his teachings to his disciples thus reaching Enlightenment.
Parinirvana or Death of a Buddha is the time when Buddhists remind themselves of death.  Buddha was known to have said "Those who are aware of death put down their quarrels."

The word 'Buddha' means 'one who is awake'. The Buddha awakened to Enlightenment meaning that he attained perfect clarity, unceasing compassion, and tireless energy. Common to all Buddhist schools is the belief that everyone has that capacity. The teachings and methods of Buddhism ultimately have one goal, to enable us to fully realize that potential.

The largest Buddhist movement in the capital is Soka Gakkai (Value Creation society) International.

Together with Tibetan, Zen, Thai, Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) and New Kadampa Tradition, the community is ever growing, as more and more people seek a  return to spiritual values in the materialistic and fast-moving daily life of London.

Internationally, the FWBO has 65 dedicated centres as well as groups with no dedicated premises and 17 retreat centres in about 25 countries.  In the UK, it has 21 centres and 8 retreat centres, plus groups without dedicated premises.

Buddha

The first ever Buddhist mission in the UK was established in 1908 by Charles Henry Allan Bennet, who had been ordained as a Buddhist monk in Burma.

By founding The London Buddhist Vihara in West London, the Sri Lankan Buddhist scholar and religious propagandist called Anagarika Dharmapala (previously Don David) ensured the continuation of Buddhism in the UK.

Buddha, courtesy of London Buddhist Centre

In the 1970s, Tibetan refugee teachers imported four schools of Buddhism (Sakya, Nyingma, Kagyu and Gelug) to Britain, which still have a following.

The Zen tradition is described on the Soto Zen web site as "not a philosophy or system of ethics or religion, but it enables one to reach the source of all philosophies, ethics and religions". The largest group within the tradition is called the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives and was founded in 1972.

"The central challenge to life is how to be happy and do good in this world. The key to this challenge is changing your mind and Buddhism offers this."
Dh Maitreyabandhu of London Buddhist Centre

The lay Buddhist movement of Soka Gakkai International was established in London in the 1960s and has approximately 6,000 members.  Followers study the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin, a 13th Century Japanese priest. At the heart of the practice is the chanting of "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo".  This is the title of the Lotus Sutra and surrounds the universal truth to which Shakyamuni Buddha was enlightened.

The Lotus flower is very much connected to Buddhism and can be found on Buddhist figures and in centres.  It generally symbolizes birth, growth, transformation and development. Also the way the lotus grows unsullied out of muddy water makes it an appropriate symbol for purity

The Lotus Flower

Soka Gakkai International also believes in peace through education and culture, which is based upon the view of the inherent dignity and interconnection of all life.  It is a non-governmental organisation affiliated to the United Nations with members in 180 countries and territories.

Buddhist mediation group

There are approximately 400 committed Friends (or novices) of The Western Buddhist Order in London. At its core are about 120 ordained members who teach meditation and Buddhism in the city.   The society has 80 centres around the world and activities in 25 countries. A representative states: "It is a dynamic spiritual community of men and women who together follow the Buddha's path".

London Buddhist Centre

The New Kadampa Tradition is the third largest Buddhist movement in the UK, founded by the Indian Buddhist Master Atisha in the 11th Century.

Kadampa Buddhists follow the teachings of Shakyamuni, Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa, emphasising the Lamrim instructions which are all stages of the Buddhist path to enlightenment, and involve reciting the prayers of the Guru Yoga of Je Tsongkhapa.

last updated: 12/01/2009 at 14:55
created: 11/08/2004

Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2004/08/11/faith_buddhism_feature.shtml

Buddhism explained

A Budda statue in Japan

Sarah a Buddhist in West Yorkshire  explains her  interest in  Buddhism  and its beliefs.

 

"Interest in Buddhism in the UK is growing. According to the latest census information, the number of people who classify themselves as "Buddhist" has doubled over the last 10 years. The wide range of Buddhist groups and meditation classes in and around West Yorkshire represents the richness and complexity of the Buddhist philosophical tradition, whose history stretches back over 2,500 years.

Tosho temple in Japan

There are three main Buddhist traditions: the "Theravada" of South East Asia, the Eastern tradition of China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, ("Zen" Buddhism comes within this tradition), and Tibetan Buddhism. The essential Buddhist teachings remain the same, but have adapted themselves to different cultures.

This richness of traditions offers many ways of practice, to suit people of different personalities and backgrounds.

Buddhism refers to the teachings of the Buddha. The word "Buddha" means "one who is awake". The historical Buddha was not a god or a prophet, but a man called Siddartha Gautama, and this title was given to him when he achieved "enlightenment", or "nirvana". A difficult concept to grasp, nirvana is described as the highest bliss, it is a profound experience of total liberation from suffering, achieved through a complete understanding of the nature of all reality. The Buddha taught a path that, if practiced for oneself, leads ultimately to this goal.

Essentially, there are three parts to the Buddha's path

• The practice of training the mind, or meditation
• The development of wisdom, or insight
• The practice of skilful conduct - endeavouring to live in a way that does not harm oneself or others.

The Buddha taught that, through the cultivation of this path, we can start here and now to live more wisely, to increase our own sense of well-being, and be kinder to ourselves and those around us.

Essential to the teachings of the Buddha was the principal that "Buddhas only point the way". The Buddhist path is a practical one, to be explored and developed for oneself, though with support and guidance from friends and teachers.

Although Siddartha Gautama was born in India over 2,500 years ago, the experiences that led him to discover this path were perhaps not so different to those of modern western people. He was born into a wealthy and powerful family, was given every luxury, and was shielded from the realities of death, old age, and sickness. This is perhaps similar to the way that we are cushioned, through material security, from the uncertainties of life. Yet the Buddha eventually came to the realisation that life was fundamentally insecure and unsatisfactory, and this troubled him greatly. In the same way, we may often succumb to anxiety and depression, and a sense of general unease or dissatisfaction with our lives. It was this type of experience that led him on a journey to search for a solution to the problem of suffering, and which often motivates us now in a quest for deeper meaning or satisfaction in our lives."

Sarah Yorke

If you would like to learn a meditation practice, or find out more about Buddhism within the Theravada tradition, beginners meditation classes are held in Huddersfield on a weekly basis - for further information contact Deborah Raikes on 01422 843 469.

Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/lifestyle/faith/2003/buddism.shtml

Americans are all Hindus now (Newsweek)

NEWSWEEK (Aug. 31, 2009 issue)

America is not a Christian nation. We are, it is true, a nation founded by Christians, and according to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as "Christian" (the lowest percentage in American history).

Of course, we are not a Hindu natiion either — nor Muslim, Jewish, Wiccan. A million-plus Hindus live in the United States, a fraction of the billion who live on Earth.

But recent poll data show that conceptually, at least, we are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, ourselves, each other, and eternity.

The Rig Veda, the most ancient Hindu scripture, says: "Truth is One, but the sages speak of it by many names." A Hindu believes there are many paths to God. Jesus is one way, the Qur'an is another, yoga practice is a third. None is better than any other; all are equal. The most traditional, conservative Christians have not been taught to think like this.

They learn in Sunday school that their religion is true, and others are false. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me."

Americans are no longer buying it. According to a 2008 Pew Forum survey, 65 percent of us believe that "many religions can lead to eternal life" [which may include the "deathless state," a synonym of nirvana] — including 37 percent of white evangelicals, the group most likely to believe that salvation is theirs alone.

In addition, the number of people who seek spiritual truth outside church is growing. Thirty percent of Americans call themselves "spiritual, not religious," according to a 2009 NEWSWEEK Poll, up from 24 percent in 2005. Stephen Prothero, religion professor at Boston University, has long framed the American propensity for "the divine-deli-cafeteria religion" as "very much in the spirit of Hinduism. You're not picking and choosing from different religions, because they're all the same," he says.

"It isn't about orthodoxy. It's about whatever works. If going to yoga works, great — and if going to Catholic mass works, great. And if going to Catholic mass plus the yoga plus the Buddhist retreat works, that's great, too."

Then there's the question of what happens when you die.

Christians traditionally believe that bodies and souls are sacred, that together they comprise the "self," and that at the end of time they will be reunited in the Resurrection. You need both, in other words, and you need them forever. Hindus believe no such thing. At death, the body burns on a pyre, while the spirit — where identity resides — escapes. In reincarnation, central to Hinduism, selves come back to earth again and again in different bodies.

So here is another way in which Americans are becoming more Hindu: 24 percent of Americans say they believe in reincarnation, according to a 2008 Harris poll. So agnostic are we about the ultimate fates of our bodies that we're burning them — like Hindus — after death.

More than a third of Americans now choose cremation, according to the Cremation Association of North America, up from 6 percent in 1975. "I do think the more spiritual role of religion tends to deemphasize some of the more starkly literal interpretations of the Resurrection," agrees Diana Eck, professor of comparative religion at Harvard. So let us all say "OM."

• Culture
  
  
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  Why Americans want Space Aliens to exist
  
  
  
  
  Sources: http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2009/11/americans-are-all-hindus-now-newsweek.html
  
  

ការ​កំណត់​ព្រំដែន​កម្ពុជា វៀតណាម

Please click the title above to see the video clip:

We are like the Viet servants: Cambodian farmer losing her land to Viet encroachment

Buddhist professor says America becoming receptive

Charles Prebish spoke to students about his conversion into the Buddhist religion and the difficulty he had studying the practices while in America. He said Buddhist communities can be found in most big cities but may be hard to locate. 

by Rachel A. Christensen

There are 6 million Buddhists in the U.S., and as this number grows so does America’s acceptance of the practice, said Charles Prebish, Redd Chair of Religious Studies, during his lecture “What is it Like to be a Buddhist in America” Wednesday in the Fine Arts Center.

Of the 6 million Buddhists, 80 percent are Asian American and 20 percent are considered converts. Prebish said there is still a huge ethnic divide among Buddhists in America today.

The U.S. is a melting pot of culture, and Prebish said Buddhist communities can be found in nearly any big city. Someone can usually find a Buddhist community nearby looking in a phone book. However, this wasn’t always the case. In the past, fewer communities and a lack of modern technology made it harder to locate Buddhist communities.

New technology such as Web pages, e-mail and cell phones make connecting with other local Buddhists easier. Prebish said some Web sites will list Buddhist communities “state by state, country by country” in order to make it easier to find them. Most magazines about Buddhism include lists of where to locate different communities. There are now more than 2,200 Buddhist communities in America, he said.

Though Buddhists in America have had trouble communicating in the past due to the variety of people and practice, Prebish said they can learn a lot from the Christian ecumenical movement.

Prebish said when he was first studying to become a Buddhist, he met a monk from Sri Lanka who taught him what he needed to do. First, the monk said Prebish would have to meditate four hours daily and all day Sunday.

Second, the monk told Prebish that every year he needed to spend a month of solitude in the woods. During this month, he was to meditate for 16 hours a day.

“By the second week (of the month of solitude), you find you’re trapped with the most boring person ever: yourself,” Prebish said.

Prebish said coming back to society at the end of the month is difficult because after doing things very slowly by himself everybody else seems to be hurrying about.

Prebish said the monk from Sri Lanka also taught him five vows. Prebish was told not to kill, lie, steal, take intoxicants or participate in illicit sex.

Prebish said these vows apply to body, speech and mind and that each person that practices Buddhism must decide how to follow these vows or precepts. The vows may sound difficult to adhere to, Prebish said, but they become more natural over time.

When Prebish “outed” himself as a Buddhist in the 1970s, he said he felt he would have been more accepted had he came out as gay – which he is not – instead. Being a Buddhist in America has become more acceptable since then, and Prebish attributed this mostly to the rise of celebrity Buddhists.

The oldest example of a celebrity Buddhist that Prebish said he could remember was Tina Turner, who said her beliefs gave her the strength to leave her abusive husband. Since then, others have followed. Prebish said, “When Buddhism makes mainstream, primetime TV on ‘The Simpsons’” in the form of cartoon character Lisa Simpson, who is Buddhist, it is apparent that Buddhism in America has become more widely acknowledged.

Had anyone run an Internet search in the 1990s of Buddhism in America, Prebish said his research would likely have been among the few sources in the search results. As Buddhism rises in popularity, college courses on the topic have begun to rise. Some Western Buddhists have gone on what Prebish referred to as a “pro tour of Buddhism,” going across America and teaching its principles. He said some of these Buddhists have made a career of traveling to Buddhist centers giving meditation workshops.

While awareness of Buddhism in America has grown, Prebish said America still needs to work on being accepting.

“I exist here as a community of one,” Prebish said of practicing Buddhism himself.

Prebish said over all, Buddhists in America have two main questions: “what kind of Buddhist am I and how many kinds of Buddhism are there?”

There are so many different practices and people that are a part of Buddhism in America that Prebish said it’s hard to generalize. This makes studying Buddhism in America more difficult, but he said he thinks it is great that other researchers are taking his research and moving forward with it.

– rach.ch@aggiemail.usu.edu

Sources: http://www.usu-tube.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Buddhist+professor+says+America+becoming+receptive%20&id=4363011&instance=campus

Buddhism in the West

Although Buddhism spread throughout Asia it remained virtually unknown in the West until modern times. The early missions sent by the emperor Ashoka to the West did not bear fruit. 

Knowledge of Buddhism has come through three main channels: Western scholars; the work of philosophers, writers and artists; and the arrival of Asian immigrants who have brought various forms of Buddhism with them to Europe, North America and Australia.

The 'come and see for yourself' attitude of Buddhism attracts many Westerners. They are not asked to believe in anything, but to follow the Buddha's advice of testing ideas first. 

With the growth of easy travel and communications, the West has been able to find out more about Buddhism in this century than in all the time before. The informality and emphasis on practice of Buddhism appeals to many Westerners.

Above picture is a group of Buddhist practitioners at the conclusion of a 10-day meditation retreat at in the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre, Australia.

The Influence of Buddhism 

Buddhist attitudes of peace, mindfulness and care for all living creatures have come to be the concern of many groups in the West. Buddhist believe that all things should be looked after: the earth, plants, birds, insects and animals. This is close to the feeling among many people in recent years that the human race should stop polluting the atmosphere and destroying the surface of the earth by cutting down forests. 

Buddhism Travels West 

Although the Buddha's teachings have been known in countries throughout Asia for over 2,500 years, very few people in Europe or America would have known what the word 'Buddhist' meant unless they had been born in the last 50 years. 

Over a century ago people from France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and other European countries began to travel in the Far East. Many of them returned with Eastern ideas, and so Europeans began to hear about Buddhism. 

More recently, Buddhist people have moved to the West. Many of them have been refugees from conflict. Many Tibetans, for example, fled from their country after the Chinese takeover in 1959. The wars in Indochina in the 1950s and 1960s led many Vietnamese people to move to and settle in Europe, Australia and America. Other Buddhists from countries such as Thailand have established businesses in the larger Western cities. They have all brought their Buddhist beliefs to their new homes, and helped to set up Buddhist centres. 

Introduction of Buddhism to Europe

In the eighteenth century onwards, a number of Buddhist texts were brought to Europe by people who had visited the colonies in the East. These texts aroused the interest of some European scholars who then began to study them.

Around the middle of the nineteenth century, a few Buddhist texts were translated into European languages. Thus Buddhist teaching came to be known to the European scholars. A few of them who were influenced by Buddhism, introduced Buddhist ideas into their own writings. Later, more and better European translations of Buddhist texts were made by the early part of the twentieth century, a large number of Buddhist texts had already been translated into English, French and German. This includes virtually the entire collection of Theravada scriptures as well as a number of important Mahayana texts.


Second picture above is a typical scene in western countries during the construction of a centre,
which are usually built with the help of volunteer labour.

Growth of Buddhism in Europe

Before the beginning of the twentieth century, the study of Buddhism was confined mainly to scholars and there was not much practice of the teachings. Later, this pattern began to change. A number of Europeans felt that merely reading about Buddhism was not enough, so they travelled to the East to acquire firsthand knowledge of the Buddhist practices and to experience the monastic life.

In addition, Buddhist organisations were founded in the major cities of Europe. One of these, the Buddhist Society of London, was established in 1924. It is the oldest and one of the largest Buddhist organisations in Europe. These organisations helped the growth of interest in Buddhism through their meditation sessions, lectures and circulation of Buddhist literature.

By the early part of the twentieth century, a number of the Europeans, who had travelled to the East to study Buddhism, had returned. Some of them had become monks and they inspired and strengthened the Buddhist circles in Europe. They were soon joined by Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka and other Buddhist countries in Asia. In recent years, there has been a marked growth of interest in Buddhism in Europe. The membership of existing Buddhist societies has increased and many new Buddhist centres have been established. Their members include large numbers of professionals and scholars. Today, the major Buddhist traditions of Asia such as Theravada, Pure Land, Ch'an (or Zen), Vajrayana and Nichiren Shoshu, have a sizeable number of followers in Europe.

Introduction of Buddhism to America

As in Europe, scholars in America became acquainted with a number of Buddhist ideas in the nineteenth century. Some of the oldest universities in America had departments of oriental studies where scholars studied Buddhist texts.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, Chinese immigrants settled in Hawaii and California. These immigrants brought a number of Mahayana Buddhist practices with them and built numerous temples. The Japanese Buddhist immigrant who arrived later, not only built temples but also invited over to America, the Japanese monks who belonged to the various Mahayana Buddhist sects. However, Buddhist activities remained largely confined to these immigrant communities.

At the end of the nineteenth century, two outstanding Buddhist spokesmen, Dharmapala from Sri Lanka and Soyen Shaku, a Zen master from Japan, attended the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Their inspiring speeches on Buddhism impressed their audience and helped to establish a foothold for the Theravada and Zen Buddhist traditions in America. During this period, the Theosophical Society, which teaches the unity of all religions, also helped to spread some elements of Buddhist teachings in America.


Third picture above: Service: volunteers cleaning the Buddha
images in the shrine room.

Growth of Buddhism in America

It was not until the second half of the twentieth century that Buddhist ideas reached a wider section of the American society. American servicemen returning from East Asia after the Second World War and Korean War, brought with them an interest in Asian culture which included Nichiren Shoshu and Zen Buddhism. The latter gained considerable popularity in the nineteen-sixties among literary and artistic groups in America and this helped to popularise Buddhism. When Tibetan refugees began arriving in America after 1959, they brought with them Vajrayana Buddhism. Soon it gained a substantial following there. During the postwar period, academic interest grew. Many new departments of Buddhist studies were established in the American universities.

At Western Buddhist Centres 

The basis of Buddhist practice in the West, as in the East, is meditation, and people may sit on cushions with their legs folded and hands in their laps. The photograph on the left was taken during a ten-day retreat at the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre, Australia, with a western monk as the Teacher. 

 

The students practised intensive sitting meditation and meditative walking, with a daily interview; received personal instruction and listened to an evening talk.

Some groups will also do some chanting, and make offerings to the Buddha image in its shrine. A Theravadin group will be very quiet and peaceful. They may form themselves into lines to give food to the monks in the morning and expect to hear a talk during the day. 

A Tibetan group can be more active, chanting, asking questions and ringing bells. Japanese Zen groups are more restrained and spend a lot of time in meditation or zazen. The activities at Buddhist centres allow people to find ways of understanding Buddhism. 

Today, there exist numerous Buddhist centres spread across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America. Virtually all the major Buddhist traditions are represented and continue to attract the interest of Westerners in all walks of life.

Sources: http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/to-west.htm

The Buddha and His Dhamma

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Good Question Good Answer

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Anyone Can Go to Heaven, Just Be Good

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Cambodia expels Thai embassy's first secretary

Thai and Cambodian diplomatic flares again Thursday after Cambodia expels a first secretary of Thai embassy in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia's Foreign Ministry ordered one of the Thai Embassy's the first secretaries to leave the country within 48 hours, starting from 5pm.

Learning of the order, the Thai side countered by expelling the first secretary of the Cambodian Embassy in Phnom Penh and ordering him to leave the country within 48 hours, starting from 5pm, said Thai government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn.

Source: from the Nation.

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Sex tape "biggest mistake" of her life Buddhist Views on Masturbation

(WQ) What can be said about the clown princess of poor taste, media starlet Carrie Prejean? Not much that isn't already being said. Reports surfacing today reveal that her "sex tape" was not a one off wonder, a "biggest mistake of my life" for a person I loved, as she claims. There were many such tapes sent to a young man she met on Myspace and dated for only four days.

What this all addresses is the über-sensitive topic of masturbation. Is it natural? Yes. Is it normal? Probably not. It is not a "necessity" as so many obsessed with the practice maintain. For instance, it is not seen in the wild among our first cousins the chimpanzees; yet, it cannot be stopped when those same chimps are imprisoned in concrete cages called for zoological reasons. As industrialized moderns locked in 12x12 rooms and even smaller cubicles -- exposed to very graphic media (thank you, Carrie Prejean), high gloss distortions of unattainable beauty, and the sexualization of everything on sale in the marketplace -- it is little wonder we behave like chimps in cage. Is it harmful? It isn't helpful. Nor is it "release" and a necessary relief, as is frequently claimed, when we ourselves are fueling the fire of sexual craving by seeking out this media.

What does our collective JudeoChristian heritage have to say about it? Surprisingly little. References to "onanism" (based on the Biblical story of Onan) have nothing whatsoever to do with masturbation. The "spilled seed" reference made famous by the story was in fact the self-interested result of coitus, Onan's failure to fulfill a social obligation (impregnating his brother's widow) in defiance of a god's law: The "god" in the story sounds more like a Sumerian or Egyptian extraterrestrial overlord than the God of Christianity. Be that as it may, the god in the story kills Onan on the spot for using the disastrous (or often-tried-and-quite-untrue) "withdrawal method."

A thorough search of the Bible for a literal prohibtion on masturbation yielded only this incident as displeasing to Jehovah? Yes, but that hasn't kept Christians from condemning the practice as vehemently, and somewhat hypocritically, as various commandments. The Christian God may not be against masturbation, but conservative Christians sure are. Except for one (thank you again, Carrie Prejean).

What does Buddhism have to say about masturbation? Quite a bit more than other traditions. To progress in virtue (sila, restraint with regard to sensual craving), unselfishness (dana, generosity), and meditation (bhavana) one is wise to limit one's exposure to provocations. If someone masturbates, it is not so much that it is a terrible stain on one's mind (from an Buddhist psychological or Abhidharma point of view) but rather an unbeneficial habit being strenghtened. To shame it is to compound the act needlessly, making matters much worse. It is not sex that the Buddha warned against (for workaday Buddhists) but rather sexual misconduct. And that is very clearly defined as sexual intercourse with the ten prohibited persons (none of whom are oneself).

Sexual misconduct (kamesu micchacara) means sex with someone who is dependent on another and protected or cared for by one's: parents, spouse, relatives, religious group, the state, or otherwise made off limits. The monastic discipline (Vinaya) prohibits masturbation for monastics. The Eight Precepts prohibit it for lay practitioners. Yet the Five Precepts incumbent on human beings, and Buddhists in particular, do no specifically bar the practice. One should not therefore think that it is encouraged or tacitly condoned. It is not, nor is it a grave karmic act with heavy consequences. However, purposely fueling sensual desire is a dangerous thing exacerbated and strenghtened as masturbation becomes a habit or addiction.

The cause of unsatisfactoriness (ill, woe, suffering, dukkha) is sensual craving. To provoke the mind/heart/body then relieve it (temporarily) through masturbation is a fool's errand, a vicious circle, in fact, no "relief" at all. The Buddha compared it to a person suffering from a terrible skin disorder with open sores. To that person with a tremendous and overbearing itch, placing one's arm over a fire to cauterize the wound will feel like pleasure. To anyone else, it would be unthinkably unpleasant to place one's own arm in fire. Such is the distortion caused by an itch like sexual craving.

(The prevalent practice of "cutting," which seems incomprehensible to parents nowadays, is exactly the same phenomenon: the psychic pain of the individual, usually female and usually quite young and not infrequently sexually abused, is so great that the manifest and controllable pain of cutting is experienced as relief, along with the release of endorphins and chemicals also released by spiritual self-mortification and extreme austerities...akin to anorexia/bulimia).

Sutra: The Use of Sex (AN IV.159)

On one occasion a Buddhist nun fell in love with Ananda, the Buddha's attendant. She feigned illness so that he would visit her bedside. Perceiving her state of mind and understanding the situation, Ananda spoke to the nun gently on the foul aspects of the body in order to free her from the grip of her passion:

* This body has come into being through food; yet based on food, food can be abandoned.

* This body has come into being through craving; yet based through craving, craving can be abandoned.

*

This body has come into being through conceit; yet based on conceit, conceit can be abandoned.

* This body has come into being through the sexual act; but in regard to the sexual act the Blessed One has advised the destruction of the bridge.

[Commentary: Setughata. This seems to be a metaphorical way of saying that a monastic should totally uproot sexual desire. The point of Ananda's discourse is that even food, craving, and conceit, which are normally factors of bondage, can be skillfully employed to attain enlightenment (arhatship). But with sexuality there is absolutely no skillful way it can be used for the goal of the higher life. Tantric sex may have some use somehow, superior to ordinary sex, but using it as a means to enlightenment is like treating an illness with illness.] Use the media wisely because stories like Prejean's are not going anywhere...but the front page.

(FOX News) Carrie Prejean says a steamy [masturbation] tape she made for an ex-boyfriend a few years ago was “the biggest mistake” of her life. The former [Christian conservative] Miss California USA told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Monday that she shot the racy tape by herself for a boyfriend she loved when she was 17. Later he “betrayed” her and sold it.

* SLIDESHOW: Embarrassing celebrity sex tape scandals

“They can call it whatever they want to call it, but it was the biggest mistake of my life,” Prejean told Hannity. “I was all by myself and I was sending a boyfriend at the time who I loved and cared about a video of me…I was not having sex with anybody and you call it whatever you want.”

* SLIDESHOW: Carrie Prejean: At the Eye of the Storm

Prejean, now 22, said she was young and exhibited bad judgment at the time. “I was a teenager at the time and never did I think it would ever come out. But it was bad judgment and it’s embarrassing and it’s humiliating to be talking about this now on national TV if you can imagine.” More>>

Source:  http://wisdomquarterly.blogspot.com/2009/11/sex-tape-biggest-mistake-of-her-life.html

How to Write a Thesis

How to Write a Thesis

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Koh Kong Puzzle

By The Nation

Published on November 13, 2009

Known as Cambodia's "Wild West" with its corrupt immigration officials, visa scams, crooked cops, prostitutes, illegal logging and gambling, Koh Kong could gain new notoriety if Thaksin Shinawatra's ambitious development plans go ahead.

His arrival to a hero's welcome in Phnom Penh, where he yesterday praised "generous laws" regarding foreign ownership during an address to Cambodian businessmen and economists, was seen by many as a big step toward making all-out inroads into the country. With Thaksin reportedly already granted a large-scale investment licence in the area lasting 99 years, Koh Kong could soon become a big thorn in Thailand's side

Would Koh Kong become a virtual government in exile or will it become "Thaksin's Singapore"? Thai intelligence is paying serious attention to all such rumours. Though a source close to Thaksin denies that the fugitive has any plans concerning Koh Kong, the warm hospitality displayed by his Cambodian hosts and their hostility toward the Thai government suggests that the wild frontier would always be kept open for him.

Apart from having Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen as his best friend, Thaksin has another good connection in Koh Kong - Pat Supapa, who is chairman of the Koh Kong International Resort Club and one of the richest business people in Cambodia having won several lucrative state concessions. He was one of the high-profile citizens who welcomed Thaksin.

2009-11-11 PM Hun Sen and Thaksin Press Conference Part 1

Former PM Thaksin holds a press conference with Cambodian PM Hun Sen in Phonom Penh on Wednesday.

A tale of two letters

THE THAKSIN TUG-OF-WAR

Published on November 12, 2009 by the Nation

Thailand's formal, extremely polite extradition request for Thaksin Shinawatra is in sharp contrast with Cambodia's blunt response. Read both letters here and here.

Abhisit could die from problems

COWBOY DIPLOMACY

Published on November 12, 2009

Cambodian PM Hun Sen's recent interview showed no love lost between him and the current Thai government

Cambodian PM Hun Sen meets the press and following is an excerpt of his conversation.

Problems with the Thai-Cambodia bilateral ties:

The problem with Thai-Cambodia relations is really a problem between myself and Khun Abhisit (Vejjajiva), the prime minister of Thailand. Before anybody speaks about this, they need to understand that I have been working in politics when the Thai prime minister was still a child.

Border closing:

If you want to close the border, close it. Cambodia will take up action in response. Cambodia will close the border, as well as shut out economic activities as well. Even one mouse will not be permitted to cross the border. We can get Thai goods through other countries. In 2008, Thailand exported US$2 billion to Cambodia - but Cambodia exported only US$90 million to Thailand. I don't want to close the border as it would affect the people, but the Thai prime minister is making threats.

Appointing Thaksin Shinawatra as economic adviser:

I want to be clear to all Thai people that the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is the one making an issue out of this. Cambodia has appointed a number of foreigners as economic advisers in the past, including Koreans and Australians and I don't see what the prime minister is afraid of. I have explained to the Asean meeting in Hua Hin, and I have been very patient about it, but I have been at the receiving end of Thailand's attack. It was Abhisit who went on and invalidated the MoU (on joint development of overlapping territory in the Gulf of Thailand).

Who is really serving whom?

Khun Abhisit is alleging that Thailand's dignity is at stake. But I want to tell you that the "red shirts" support this appointment (of Thaksin) but the "yellow shirts" don't. And there are those who are remaining quiet about this whole thing. These people know that the Hun Sen government is a good administration. My government is not being used by anybody. I think it's Abhisit who has become a tool of Thaksin. Whenever Thaksin opens up on certain issues, it is Abhisit who reacts accordingly and acted without thinking about the interests of the country and its people. He is using personal reasons to cancel cooperation between two countries. Can Thai people live with a leader like this? Can a person like this lead Asean? Asean will eventually become one market and possibly one currency but it's Thailand who is behaving aggressively against Cambodia. During the Angkor civilisation there were accusations that Thailand had lost territory to Cambodia. Study your history and you will see who is the real aggressor.

What can Asean do?

Cambodia is prepared to negotiate any place, any time, in a bilateral or multilateral setting. But it appeared that Thailand has already decided that this is not going to happen. Asean Secretary-General Surin (Pitsuwan) needs to understand that it has to be comprehensive and should include the 19 September 2006 coup (against Thaksin), the overlapping claims along the border, the appointment of Thaksin as economic advisor. You can use whatever mechanism you want, Cambodia is ready. I helped safe Thailand and Abhisit's face by not talking about this at Asean Summit in Hua Hin. You want to solve this problem you should go to the beginning. If this is about appointing Thaksin, then we need to all the way back to the 19 September coup. If Ahisit is so capable, why not dissolve the Parliament and call for a new election. What is he afraid of? I am the prime minister of Cambodia who received two-third of the vote and how much vote did Abhisit received or did he stole his seat from other people? If so how do you expect to respect you?

Insulting Thailand

Abhisit is faced with all kinds of problems. He could die from it. He has problem with all his neighbours, including Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar. Moreover, he has problem with the yellow shirt, the red shirt and the blue shirt and the white shirt. Even the yellow shirt are not united among their own kind. What due respect does Cambodia has to give Thailand? Appointing Thaksin has nothing to do with Thailand? I have told Abhisit that Thaksin is my friend. Friend don't betray friend.

About disrespecting Thailand's judicial system:

There is nothing in the Thai judicial system that is worth respecting. In the past Khieu Samphan, Nuan Chea was residing in Cambodia before they relocate to Cambodia. This was not only a violation of international laws and norms, Thailand even endorse Khmer Rogue and the peace process. I want the Thai people to know that the government don't even respect international law and so how can we even respect Thai judicial system?

On Preah Vihear Temple:

We negotiated with Thailand three times. We agreed to solve the problem peacefully. But the agreement they signed was erased with their feet. Thailand obstructed Thailand's bid (for Unesco World Heritage) and has the nerve to say that it has nothing to do with Cambodia. It's like they are calling us stupid. Thailand has used Preah Vihear as a hostage and used it to take down a government. I have asked Parliament President Chai Chidchob for help but he said the issue has passed the Parliament. Thailand politicised this issue at the expense of prolonging the problem.

45 local red-shirt leaders cross border to meet Thaksin in Cambodia

A total of 45 local red-shirt leaders from Nakhon Ratchasima Wednesday crossed the border at a checkpoint in Si Sa Ket to meet fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Siem Reap.

Thaksin is scheduled to visit Siem Reap Thursday after giving a special lecture to some 300 Cambodian Finance Ministry officials.

The 45 red-shirt leaders crossed the border at 1 pm.

The Nation

King Father wants PM to look into Vietnam border

KING Father Norodom Sihanouk has written letters urging Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior officials to examine opposition party allegations that Vietnamese authorities are encroaching on Cambodian soil.

The letters follow Cambodian and Vietnamese officials’ criticism of opposition leader Sam Rainsy for uprooting six markers along the countries’ loosely defined border in October.

Sihanouk’s letters urged officials to “consider” Sam Rainsy’s allegations. On Saturday, the opposition leader wrote a letter to the King Father, saying that villagers along the border in Svay Rieng province’s Chantrea district were losing valuable farmland to Vietnam.

Var Kimhong, the government’s senior minister in charge of border affairs, declined comment, noting only that Sam Rainsy’s letter mentions that villagers uprooted border posts – omitting his own involvement.

Phnom Penh Post, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 15:04 Meas Sokchea 

PM Abhisit calls an urgent meeting

• Published: 11/11/2009 at 01:27 PM
• Online news: Breakingnews

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has called for an urgent meeting with his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban and three other ministers after Cambodia rejected the Thai government’s request for extradition of fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Other ministers at the meeting were Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul and PM’s Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey.

Reporters were given no indication what they would discuss as the men went in to the meeting.

Cambodia's letter of refusal received

• Published: 11/11/2009 at 12:54 PM
• Online news: Breakingnews

The Foreign Ministry has received a letter from Cambodia refusing Thailand's request to extradite deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Panich Wikitset, assistant to the foreign minister, said on Wednesday.

Mr Panich said the letter stressed that Cambodia cannot send Thaksin to Thailand because the former Thai prime minister was a political, not criminal, convict.

The government would hold a meeting to assess the development. At this stage, the Foreign Ministry would send a reply to Cambodia reaffirming that the court case in which Thaksin was sentenced to two years in jail was criminal, not political.

The verdict against Thaksin issued by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions clearly states that Thaksin committed a criminal offence while holding the office of prime minister of Thailand, Mr Panich said.

Mr Panich said Thailand had not yet considered closing the border with Cambodia or taking other measures to pressure Cambodia.

Govt calls for Thaksin's arrest

Borders will remain open, says Suthep

• Published: 11/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

Thailand has asked the Cambodian authorities to arrest former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra following his arrival in Phnom Penh yesterday.

Thaksin Shinawatra arrives in Phnom Penh yesterday to take up his posts as economic adviser to the Cambodian government and personal adviser to PrimeMinister Hun Sen.

A source at the Foreign Ministry said the request from the Office of the Attorney-General had been forwarded to the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh along with details of the 2008 court ruling which found Thaksin guilty of corruption.

The request for Thaksin's arrest would be conveyed to the Cambodian government no later than today, the source said.

The move is the first step in the process of having the ousted prime minister returned to Thailand to serve his two-year jail term. The call for his "provisional arrest" would soon be followed by an extradition request, the source said.

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced Thaksin in October last year to two years in jail after finding him guilty of a conflict of interest involving the 2003 Ratchadaphisek land purchase case.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the Thai government would wait for Phnom Penh's response to the request for Thaksin's arrest before deciding on its next move.

Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong yesterday ruled out the extradition of Thaksin.

He said: "We will not extradite him. We already clarified this case because he is a political victim."

Thaksin landed at Phnom Penh International Airport in a private jet and was escorted into the capital in a convoy under tight security.

"Thaksin is here for the economy and no activities related to politics," Cambodian cabinet spokesman Phay Siphan said. "It is an honour for Cambodia's economic sector and we hope that Cambodians nationwide welcome him warmly."

Thaksin is expected to stay for a few days and is due to address 300 Cambodian economists in Phnom Penh tomorrow as part of his new post.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last month asked Thaksin to become an economic adviser to his government.

State television yesterday showed Thaksin and Hun Sen embracing. The Cambodian leader reportedly pronounced him an "eternal friend" as well as "the best adviser with economic leadership".

Thaksin reportedly thanked Hun Sen for offering him the post of economic adviser and said "nothing can compare" to his excitement in taking up the new role.

Hun Sen and Thaksin were seen laughing and chatting at a house specially prepared for the exiled leader, but Thaksin said on Twitter he was "really homesick".

"Tonight I will dine with Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family. I want to reiterate that nation, religion and monarchy are always in my mind," Thaksin wrote.

Phay Siphan said Hun Sen would host a lunch today for Thaksin "because the two leaders are close friends".

"He is coming to give a lecture only, so I believe that he will not do anything related to political activity here," Phay Siphan told reporters.

Thailand and Cambodia recalled their ambassadors last week in an escalating row over Thaksin. His presence on Thailand's doorstep is the closest he has come to his homeland since he left in August 2008.

Despite the growing diplomatic tension, Mr Abhisit and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday said Thailand would not close its border with Cambodia.

Mr Suthep, who supervises security affairs, said the border crossing would not be sealed because people on either side were related and they deserved to live a normal life.

However, the Thai government would continue to stress that Thaksin was using Cambodia as a base to hurt the Kingdom, he said.

"We must tell the world community that we love peace and want to maintain friendship with neighbouring countries," Mr Suthep said.

"But the government of the neighbouring country happens to accommodate the one who is hurting our country, hurting our people and hurting our (royal) institution. We must speak out."

Phnom Penh refuses to receive Thai request to extradite Thaksin

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's Foreign Ministry refused Wednesday to receive Thailand's request to extradite fugtive ex-Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, sources said.

Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh in the morning handed over the request to the Cambodia's foreign ministry to take Thaksin who is in Phnom Penh for the second day.
However the Thai embassy was informed that the ministry will  have to wait for recommendation from its PM's Office.
In the meantime, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen is meeting with Thaksin Shinawatra at his office.
Thaksin began his second day in Phnom Penh with the four-eyed meeting with Hun Sen to discuss economic plan for Cambodia, sources said.

Point of no return

By Noppajak Attanont
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
Published on November 11, 2009

Yesterday was the first time Thaksin Shinawatra had come so close to Thailand since he fled the country about a year or so ago. He landed in Phnom Penh at the controversial invitation of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Yet the hero's welcome, the embraces and the elaborate "family" photograph he took with the Cambodian elite may have pushed several issues well past the point of no return.

Already suffering bilateral relations were in even worse shape yesterday as Thaksin and Hun Sen had a celebratory dinner and the Cabinet in Thailand resolved to tear up the memorandum of understanding on overlapping maritime claims.

Earlier speculation that Thaksin might decide to make a last-minute U-turn due to political concerns from his main political backers in Thailand was quelled by the presence of his brother-in-law, former PM Somchai Wongsawat, and Somchai's wife Yaowapa in Phnom Penh.

In one of the most tantalising political photos ever taken, Somchai and Yaowapa were seen posing with Hun Sen, his wife and their family members. Hun Sen, shrugging off the fast-deteriorating ties with the Abhisit government, obviously wants everyone to know that Thaksin is the Thai political horse he is betting upon.

Thaksin's private jet landed at Phnom Penh International Airport in the morning and he was escorted to the capital by a convoy of cars under tight security. He suddenly became a media star, with local and foreign reporters scrambling to cover every detail of the visit, which was also featured on television news.

"Thaksin is here for the economy and not activities related to politics. It is an honour for Cambodia's economic sector and we hope that Cambodians nationwide welcome him warmly," Cambodian cabinet spokesman Phay Siphan said.

However, Thaksin's Pheu Thai Party was left suffering from a political backlash at home, so much so that some party members wished he would just thank Hun Sen for the invitation and return to his exile as far away and as soon as possible.

With Hun Sen and Cambodia as a whole being dragged into Thai politics - leaving Thaksin's supporters seething and Hun Sen's supporters worried - the already slim chances of reconciliation have become even slimmer.

Cambodian state television, showing Thaksin and Hun Sen embracing, reported that the Cambodian leader had pronounced him an "eternal friend" and "the best adviser with economic leadership". In return, Thaksin reportedly thanked Hun Sen for offering him the post of an adviser, adding that "nothing could compare" to his excitement over the new job.

Thaksin also plans to visit the famous Angkor Wat temple during his trip, TV reports said.

Hun Sen was also seen hugging Somchai and Yaowapa, whose presence in Phnom Penh coincided with earlier rumours that Thaksin's innermost circle was setting up a "war room" in the Cambodian capital amid concerns that the Hun Sen saga was threatening Thaksin's popularity back home.

There was also the possible complication of a Thai extradition request, although Hun Sen has unequivocally said such a demand from Bangkok would be rejected.

Even before landing in Phnom Penh, Thaksin's future in Thailand looked particularly grim after Times Online published an interview quoting him as calling for a reform in the institution of monarchy. Thaksin strongly denied having criticised the monarchy, but his defiant touchdown in Cambodia is unlikely to help his political predicament.

From his Phnom Penh sanctuary, Thaksin again last night insisted on his loyalty to the Thai monarch and his love for the country. He attacked the Democrats for taking advantage of the "distorted" Times Online report and using it to smear him.

Thaksin said he had "made a mistake" in responding to a question

 posed by the British journalist about the succession of the throne, adding that he had simply thought of the rule of succession in general, without thinking of His Majesty's health.

"I want to bang my head against the floor. I forgot that His Majesty was in hospital," he said during a broadcast from Cambodia. "I pray for the King to recover quickly from his illness and remain the guiding light for Thai people for a long time to come."

He said on the Internet-based ThaksinLive radio and People's TV that he had complained in writing to The Times for misinterpreting what he had said and making the headline and lead paragraph in the article offensive to the Thai people. He said he expected the newspaper to rectify the report in a day or two.

As a new economic adviser to the Cambodian government, Thaksin said he would be lecturing Cambodian cabinet members and senior bureaucrats about how to reduce the country's poverty tomorrow.

"I won't come to this country too often. I am afraid the [Thai] government will have no time to work," he said.

But coming just once might be enough to damage many things beyond repair, some observers believe.

THAKSIN'S NEW ROLE

Red carpet welcome

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee, Agencies
The Nation, Phnom Penh
Published on November 11, 2009

Phnom Penh - Fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra received a warm welcome on his arrival in Phnom Penh yesterday to serve as an economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

After his private jet landed at Phnom Penh International Airport in the morning, he was whisked away in a motorcade to Hun Sen's official residence.

Thaksin's first day in the Cambodian capital began with a series of courtesy calls to senior people in the ruling Cambodian People's Party and ended in dinner with Hun Sen and his family.

It is said he was treated to a nine-course meal of various traditional delicacies. According to Thai belief, nine is considered a lucky number.

Thaksin is due to give a lecture to more than 300 Cambodian economists tomorrow.

The former PM's new role in Cambodia has fuelled friction between the two countries, as Thailand wants to seek his extradition in connection with a corruption case but Phnom Penh has clearly said it will not entertain the request.

However, Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said Thaksin would only be concentrating on economic matters for the country's development and should not spark any more tension with Thailand.

"He is here for economic reasons, not activities related to politics," he said. "Cambodia does not allow foreign nationals to engage in political activities within our country."

Cambodia wants to live in harmony with her neighbours, he added.

Meanwhile, upon landing in Phnom Penh, Thaksin posted a Twitter message saying he had landed, but was "really homesick".

 "Tonight I will dine with P M Hun Sen and his family. I want to reiterate that nation, religion and the monarchy are always on my mind," he wrote.

However, Thaksin's arrival in Phnom Penh angered the Thai government, which retaliated by tearing up the maritime memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries during Thaksin's time. Sources say the government fears that the ex-PM, who knows each and every detail about the pact, might reveal some national secrets to his new boss.

The MoU was signed in 2001 to thrash out matters involving the demarcation of territorial waters and the joint development area in the Gulf of Thailand, where abundant reserves of natural gas are believed to be waiting to be discovered.

Cambodian Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said the MoU was not meant for Cambodia alone, but would benefit both parties. He added that the agreement had been signed by two nations, and could not be broken by one party.

"It's funny to say that the MoU must be terminated just because Thaksin and Hun Sen have vested interests," Koy Kuong told The Nation yesterday. He added that Cambodia had not yet decided on its response.

However, analysts believe Thaksin's visit has sparked anger and fear that could drag down relations between the two countries and have the borders simmering.

Cheang Vannarith, executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, a Phnom Penh-based political research organisation, said Hun Sen had obviously factored in the Thai general election expected to be held next year.

"Hun Sen clearly believes the Thaksin group could win the next elections," Vannarith said. "By that time bilateral ties can be rebuilt and the friendship restored."

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, disagreed. "It could boomerang on him," he said. "We Thais might fight among ourselves, but as soon as you have an outsider meddling, we tend to close ranks and turn against it."

Thaksin's move benefits both the ousted leader and his Cambodian host, but could bring the two countries closer to war, analysts have said.

Experts are warning that the two neighbours are now locked in a dangerous game of brinkmanship that could reignite deadly clashes over the Preah Vihear Temple issue. They say the pressure is now on Thailand not to overreact, after it angrily pulled its ambassador from Phnom Penh last week and scrapped the oil and gas exploration deal.

"How bad it gets will depend on whether Abhisit keeps his cool and resists pressure from those who are intent on this conflict escalating," said Michael Montesano, a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

"But if he keeps making announcements of the kind he has made in the past few days then things could get much, much worse," he added.

Analysts said all three parties could lose if the temperature boiled over and fresh clashes erupted.

Hun Sen, with an army that is smaller than Thailand's, is playing a "dangerous game", while Thaksin risks appearing unpatriotic and PM Abhisit Vejjajiva risks ruining his own and Thailand's image on the international stage, analysts warn.