Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s ex PM, addresses rally in Cambodia
Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaks to his supporters at the That Luang Stupa during a visit to the Laos capital Vientiane on Apr. 12, 2012. Thousands more Red Shirt supporters are expected to attend his follow-up rally in the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap.
Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra is holding a mass rally for his "Red Shirt" supporters in the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap.
AFP says that Thaksin would fly into the country this morning, after spending three days in neighboring Laos.
Thaksin, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, has been living in self-exposed exile since 2008 to avoid a jail term for corruption.
He has been telling his supporters that he will return to Thailand in the next three to four months, Asia One reports.
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The news service says he has not specified a date but said he was preparing his return as "a birthday present", adding that his birthday is on July 26.
"All the Thais will be happy. From now on, there will be no Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts. Thai people will make up their differences. I can't help people who don't want to reconcile," he is quoted as telling an audience at a hotel in Laos' southern province of Champasak.
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Its expected that the crowds attending his rally in Cambodia will be much larger, with Hong Kong's The Standard saying that thousand of security personnel had been deployed for the occasion.
"We have a duty to provide security for Thai people and for Thaksin," Cambodia's national police spokesman Kirt Chantharith reportedly said, describing the event as "an historic occasion". He added that there was no specific security threat.
Thaksin's sister Yingluck became prime minister of Thailand last year, and although Thaksin has ruled out a return to power the Bangkok Post says he would take an advisory role.
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