JAKARTA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Surin Pitsuwan, has appealed Cambodia and Thailand to exercise maximum restraint and asked ASEAN foreign ministers to assist the two countries to end the dispute.

    Surin informed the ministers that he has received many inquiries and expressions of concern from ASEAN's Dialogue Partners and friends over the apparent deterioration of relations between Cambodia and Thailand, as evidenced in the recalling of their Ambassadors earlier this week.

    The secretary general said that the dispute could undermine the credibility of ASEAN.

    "We in ASEAN cannot afford to be seen as being so seriously divided prior to the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders Meeting and the historic ASEAN-US Leaders Meeting in Singapore this month," he said in a statement received by Xinhua on Monday.

    The Secretary-General pointed out that in line with the spirit of the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) of 1976, all other Member States in ASEAN are obliged to offer assistance to help fellow Member States settle their settlement.

Official contact with Cambodia to be made if Thaksin visits there: Thai Deputy PM

    BANGKOK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is going to officially contact with Cambodia if ousted former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra visits Cambodia on Nov. 12, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said Monday.

    Over the weekend, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced in Cambodia that Thaksin will visit Cambodia this week after he has been named the country's economic adviser. Full story

Taksin appointed as adviser of Cambodian PM and gov't

    PHNOM PENH, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was officially appointed as adviser of his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen and the Royal Government of Cambodia King Norodom Sihamoni, a statement of the Royal Government announced on Wednesday.

Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra(L) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was officially appointed as adviser of his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen and the Royal Government of Cambodia King Norodom Sihamoni.(Xinhua/AFP File Photo)

    

    The King signed the Royal Decree of the appointment of Thaksin Shinawatra on Oct. 27. The appointment was made in accordance with the country's constitutions and at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen. Full story