Hun Sen and Thaksin – a seamless intermingling of friendship and politics

The private visit of former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen to Bangkok to see former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra is not only a testament to their personal friendship, but also has larger implications for bilateral ties between the two countries and domestic political affairs.

Hun Sen, who is now president of Cambodia’s Supreme Privy Council and the head of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), was the first foreign guest to visit Thaksin at his Chan Song La residence after his release on parole two days earlier.

Personal ties between the two former premiers from now on would be a key factor in forging closer bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia, longtime Thaksin watcher Professor Ukrist Pathmanand of Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Asian Studies said.

The maritime border issue

“The key issue both Thaksin and Hun Sen would be involved in at the…