I’ve updated my earlier post about Thailand, Cambodia and Thaksin, but I wanted to add the latest news in a new post for RSS subscribers.

First, today’s development: Thailand has threatened to close the border with Thailand. Here’s an AFP story with more info.

And second, I wanted to point out some analysis from Reuters. The headline is “Thaksin launches new offensive to win back power.” Here’re the first few graphs:

His opponents may dismiss him as a fugitive criminal and a spent political force, but ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is redoubling his efforts to return to power in Thailand, and the government is stumbling.

His red-shirted supporters have been pushing for a royal pardon of his corruption conviction, which would allow the exiled billionaire to come home. Now Thaksin has raised the stakes with a series of moves likely to add fuel to an intractable crisis in Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.

His acceptance of an offer to become an adviser to the government of neighbouring Cambodia has caused an ugly diplomatic row, with the prospect of his running a political campaign from across the border angering the powerful opponents who have fought hard to keep him at bay.

“The government is being seen as incompetent and we’re slowly moving towards becoming a failed state,” political scientist Pitch Pongsawat said. “Thaksin wants to steal the show … and we’re headed for a whole different battle.”

(Emphasis mine.)

I suggest reading the whole thing.

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A quick note to dance lovers in the Thai capital: SalsaBangkok Fiesta 2009 kicked off yesterday.

Salsa? In Thailand? You better believe it.

The event lasts through the weekend and includes various happenings at venues around town. There are parties, workshops, competitions and more.

The program can be found at SalsaBangkok.com, a site that I can’t believe I’d never seen before.

(Thanks to P for the tip.)

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First this:

AFP: “Cambodia makes Thailand’s Thaksin adviser: government”

Cambodia said Wednesday it had appointed fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra economic adviser to premier Hun Sen in a move that adds to tensions between the countries.

The appointment was announced on state television almost two weeks after Hun Sen first riled Thailand by offering safe haven to Thaksin, who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption.

And then this:

New York Times: “Thailand Recalls Its Ambassador to Cambodia”

The Thai government announced Thursday that it was recalling its ambassador to Cambodia to protest Cambodia’s appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as Thailand’s prime minister, to a high-profile position. The moves put new strains on already tense relations between the countries.

Mr. Thaksin was removed in a coup in September 2006 and now helps lead the Thai opposition movement from abroad.

The Thai Foreign Ministry said the appointment of Mr. Thaksin as economic adviser to Cambodia’s prime minister represented a “failure to respect Thailand’s judicial system.”

“The Royal Thai Government cannot stand idly by and has to take into consideration the sentiment of its people,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Thai government appears particularly dismayed at the idea that Mr. Thaksin, who now spends much of his time in Dubai, might be able to galvanize his supporters from just across the border. Hun Sen, the Cambodian prime minister, has offered Mr. Thaksin a residence in Cambodia.

And now this:

Reuters: “Thailand, Cambodia recall envoys over Thaksin spat”

Thailand and Cambodia recalled their ambassadors from each others’ countries on Thursday, deepening a diplomatic row after Cambodia made fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra an economic adviser.

The tit-for-tat spat threatens to worsen a political crisis in Thailand by giving Thaksin and his red-shirted anti-government supporters an ally just across the border, causing a diplomatic embarrassment for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

It also suggests deepening enmity between leaders of the two countries after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen soured the start of an Asian summit hosted by Abhisit last month by turning up and offering Thaksin the job of adviser.

(Emphasis mine.)

Watch this space…

UPDATE (Fri., 3:30 p.m. local time): A development from AFP: “Thailand threatens to seal Cambodian border.”

Thailand threatened Friday to seal the border with Cambodia in a spiralling diplomatic row over Phnom Penh’s naming of fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an adviser.

The warning came a day after the two countries recalled their respective ambassadors due to the dispute over the appointment of Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption.

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Kevin Costner/Turkish Airlines update: here’s a cell phone snap of an ad that appears at the bottom of the front page of today’s Bangkok Post.

Background on Costner’s Turkish Airways ad campaign — and a video of the much-discussed “Feel Like a Star” TV spot — are here.

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Bangkok residents woke up to something extraordinary this morning: chilly weather.

Okay, so today’s low temperature was still a rather comfortable 64 degrees Fahrenheit, or 18 degrees Celsius. And yes, temps are still climbing up to 80 degrees F (27 degrees C) during the day.

But still. But still.

This is tropical Thailand, don’t forget, where the average monthly temperature in Bangkok never dips below 77 degrees F (25 degrees C).

I love the Kingdom in November and December. For one thing, these “brisk” temperatures mean that you can actually walk down the street without breaking a sweat.

And there’s a sports-related bonus: ESPNSTAR has been carrying the World Series games live. That means that the sounds of baseball can be heard emanating from the TV in the mornings. (Here’s hoping that the Phillies can force games six and seven.)

Between the MLB action and the “chill” in the air, it almost feels like fall in the U.S.

(Weather forecast via CNNGo.)

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