PUBLISHED : 8 Aug 2023 at 04:00
A spokesperson for the Cambodian government, Phay Siphan, called Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra’s attendance at outgoing prime minister Hun Sen’s birthday in Phnom Penh on Saturday a strictly private matter, before insisting it won’t have any impact on Thai-Cambodia relations.
“Prime Minister Hun Sen had already explained this to [Prime Minister] Prayut Chan-o-cha and other senior Thai officials,” Phay Siphan said on Sunday.
“He asked them for understanding about his friendship between the Prime Minister and Thaksin as well as with Yingluck. They had declared themselves ‘god siblings’ already and nothing to do with politics,” he added, as quoted by the Phnom Penh Post.
The surprise appearance by the former Thai prime ministers in Cambodia on Saturday sparked a lot of debate in the country.
Both Thaksin and Yingluck were seen at Hun Sen’s 72nd birthday celebration, which was held at his private residence in Takhmao, Kandal province, just outside the Cambodian capital. Also present at the party were members of Hun Sen’s extended family, including his son and heir as prime minister, Hun Manet.
Pictures of the gathering were revealed by Fresh News after Hun Sen himself shared the photos on his Telegram channel.
Hun Sen told Fresh News that Thaksin and Yingluck stayed overnight at his home and had breakfast together the next morning before departing Cambodia.
This familial gathering offered a glimpse into their close relationship.
The bond between Hun Sen and Thaksin can be traced back to 1992 when they began to regard each other as “god brothers”. Their relationship has remained strong, even after Thaksin and Yingluck were both deposed in coups.