Hun Sen accuses Thaksin of faking illness for photo op

Cambodia’s strongman Hun Sen today accused former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of faking his illness in order to avoid serving a prison term.

Hun Sen recounted his February 21 visit to Thaksin, who was on parole at the time and living in his residence in Bangkok. He said Thaksin was not sick, but put on a neck collar and used other props to appear ill when taking a photo with him.

Hun Sen was the first foreign visitor to see Thaksin after he was released on parole, on the grounds of severe illness and age. He flew to Bangkok in his private jet and met Thaksin in the presence of his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn, who was later appointed Thai prime minister.

Thaksin did not spend a single day of his sentence for corruption in prison. Instead, he claimed to be too seriously ill to remain in jail and was transferred to a VVIP room in the Police General Hospital, where he stayed for six months before being granted parole.

Hun Sen made the remarks during a live broadcast today, while visiting Preah Vihear province. It attracted a large Thai audience, after he had promised to reveal secrets about Thaksin and Paetongtarn.

He also expressed regret that his three-decade relationship with Thaksin had to end, after Paetongtarn labelled him “unprofessional” over the leak of a recorded phone conversation between them.

The Thai PM had criticised Hun Sen for leaking the conversation, during which she called a military commander “an opponent,” leading to a public backlash and calls for her resignation.

Hun Sen also revealed that another Shinawatra family member, Thaksin’s sister and former PM Yingluck, used a Cambodian passport to flee Thailand and take up refuge abroad. He stated that this was done with his assistance.

He said he had refrained from revealing this out of respect, but felt compelled to speak after what he called repeated personal attacks from Paetongtarn, adding “I pitied Yingluck.

She still holds a Cambodian passport and resides overseas, but she is suffering because of her brother and now, again, because of her niece.”

He went on to say, “I didn’t want to speak out, but I must. When the vehicle transported Yingluck out of Poipet, it coincided with her flight from Singapore to Siem Reap.

The plane landed and she immediately got in the car. Today, the truth comes out.”

He insisted that Cambodia did not use its territory to act against Thailand, but rather acted out of compassion and humanity. “I regret that a 30-year friendship was destroyed by a friend’s daughter,” he said, referring to Paetongtarn.