Cambodia denies Thailand's extradition request for Thaksin

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government has returned a letter of denial to Thailand's request for extraditing ex-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, foreign ministry's official said on Wednesday.

Kuoy Kong, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry said the denial letter was returned just the same time as Thailand officially handed over the request letter for extradition.

Thaksin Shinawatra arrived at Phnom Penh on Tuesday morning to take up his new job as the adviser of Cambodian Prime Minister HunSen and the Royal Government. He will give a lecture to some 300 Cambodian economists on Thursday.

It remains unclear when will he leave Cambodia, but government sources said he might not stay long here.

Relations between the two neighboring countries were strained recently after Cambodia named ousted former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra its economic adviser. Thailand recalled its ambassador Thursday, and Cambodia followed suit.

Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup for alleged massive corruption and other charges. His supporters say he should be pardoned and returned to power. Since the coup, Thaksin has lived abroad to escape a corruption conviction and two-year prison sentence.