Cambodia Travel News

Issued: 24 April 2003

Thailand's ambassador returned to his post in Cambodia on Thursday, marking the end of damaged relations between Cambodia and Thailand suspended after the January 29 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh.

Ambassador Chatchavet Chartsuwan who had fled for his life from the Thai embassy during the riots three months ago arrived in Cambodia on Thursday while Ambassador Ung Sean has also returned to Bangkok.

The resumption of the two countries' ambassadors followed a meeting between Thai officials and Cambodian ministers. The meeting ended up with an agreement of both sides to resume normal diplomatic ties after the Cambodian Government paid 5.92 million US dollars in compensation for damage to the Thai Embassy. The agreement also covered a setting of investigation group composed of the two countries' officials to work on Cambodia's compensation for Thai private sector's loss caused in the violence and the deserving punishment of those responsible.

Relations between Thailand and Cambodia were damaged when the anti-Thai rioters sparked by the rumor that a Thai television actress had made a comment that Cambodia's Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand. The Thai Embassy was torched and Thai-own businesses in Phnom Penh are also destroyed. In retaliation, Thailand closed it border crossing with Cambodia and downgraded diplomatic ties to only charge d'affaires level.

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