(Phnom Penh): Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, revealed that he had provided support to former Thai Prime Ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra during times of political turmoil in Thailand. He stated that his residence in Ta Khmau City, Kandal Province, had two rooms specially prepared to accommodate the two former leaders whenever they visited Cambodia.
Samdech Techo wrote on his social media on Friday (Jun. 20) as follows:
“I respectfully extend my heartfelt congratulations to Venerable Such, who has been welcomed by Prime Minister Hun Manet to reside in Cambodia.
I would like to thank Prime Minister Hun Manet and the Royal Government of Cambodia for their generosity toward Venerable Such. I also hope the Prime Minister will petition His Majesty the King to grant Cambodian citizenship to Venerable Such so that he may serve in his capacity as a Cambodian national.
I trust that the case of Venerable Such will not cause any disruption in Cambodia–Thailand relations, nor be seen as interference in Thailand’s internal affairs. Cambodia will not allow Venerable Such to build any movement against Thailand either.
Moreover, the matter of Venerable Such is not unprecedented. Both I and the Royal Government of Cambodia have previously extended support to former Prime Ministers Thaksin and Yingluck, who are the father and aunt, respectively, of the current Prime Minister of Thailand.
During the official visit of the Thai Prime Minister to Cambodia in April 2025, aside from the official agenda, we also had a family gathering, where the Thai Prime Minister Ung Ing and her husband dined at my residence.
Before departing, the Thai Prime Minister requested to see the rooms where her father and aunt had once stayed. My house had preserved two rooms for them. One was named the "Thaksin Room" and the other the "Yingluck Room." The Thai Prime Minister’s husband took photographs and videos of both rooms.
Over 30 years of heartfelt bonds between our two families were shattered by the leak of a phone conversation by a Cambodian official, who was angered by insults directed at me and the Cambodian Prime Minister, claiming we were unprofessional.”
=FRESH NEWS
