The tit-for-tat moves came as Mr Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and is living abroad to avoid a jail term for graft, delivered a lecture in the Cambodian capital in which he accused Thailand’s rulers of ‘false patriotism’.
‘We decided to expel the Cambodian first secretary after Cambodia expelled our first secretary from the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh,’ Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told AFP.
He said Thailand had given the neighbouring country’s diplomat 48 hours to leave.
Thai foreign ministry spokeswoman Vimon Kidchob said it was ‘necessary to take similar action’ after Cambodia ordered its diplomat to leave Phnom Penh on Thursday afternoon. There was no immediate comment from Cambodia.
Thailand and Cambodia have already recalled their ambassadors from each other’s capitals in the growing quarrel over Phnom Penh’s appointment of Mr Thaksin, which was announced last week.
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