Thailand, Cambodia confirm strong bilateral ties

PHNOM PENH, February 4 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen have confirmed sound bilateral relations between Bangkok and Phnom Penh and vowed to keep enhancing the bilateral ties. Yingluck and Hun Sen jointly confirmed the sound bilateral relations at their meeting in Phnom Penh on Monday, when the Thai prime minister was visiting the Cambodian capital to attend the cremation of late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk. During the talks, the Thai prime minister also thanked the Cambodian government for pursuing a royal pardon for a Thai female activist, Ratree Pipattanapaiboon, who was released and then returned to Thailand on February 1, and for commuting a jail term by six months for another Thai male detainee, Veera Somkwamkid, and for taking care of other 51 Thai nationals who have been imprisoned in Cambodia, saying that all represent a goodwill gesture by the neighbouring country. After the meeting with his Cambodian counterpart, the Thai prime minister traveled to the Khemrin Palace, where she was granted an audience with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Princess Mother Norodom Munineath. The Thai prime minister and her entourage later attended the royal cremation of late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, the present monarch's father, before returning to Thailand on Monday evening. (TNA)