Cambodian governor sacked

Cambodian-Thai relations remain tense

The governor of Phnom Penh has been sacked by the Cambodian prime minister, two weeks after the country's capital was ransacked by anti-Thai rioters.

Chea Sophara, a senior member of Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party, was widely seen as a potential successor to the Cambodian leader.

Chea Sophara was seen as a rival to Hun Sen

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith gave no direct reason for the dismissal, but he told the French news agency AFP that Thai intelligence had accused some government officials of being behind the riots.

Cambodia is still trying to repair damaged relations with Thailand following the violence, which destroyed the Thai embassy and several Thai-owned businesses.

The riots were sparked by a Thai actress' alleged comment that Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex should be given to Thailand.

'Scapegoat'

Mr Sophara will be sent to Rangoon as the Cambodian ambassador to Burma.

CAMBODIAN-THAI TENSIONS

Thais overran Khmer empire in 15th century

Angkor Wat briefly held by Thai army at end of WW2

Border disputes continue

Cambodians wary of Thailand's more powerful army

Also resent Thai companies exploiting Cambodian natural resources

Mr Kanharith told AFP: "There will be more officials who will be disciplined in order to allow the government to investigate the incidents that happened on the 29th of January."

Opposition members said that Mr Sophara, seen as a rival to Hun Sen, was being used as a scapegoat by the prime minister as he tries to forge a reconciliation with Thailand.

"This act seems (intended) to satisfy Thailand and to make them see that we have dismissed the people who are also responsible for that event," Princess Norodom Vacheara, MP for the opposition Funcinpec party told AFP.

Diplomatic moves

Relations between the two countries are slowly improving. On Monday, the Thai charge d'affaires returned to Phnom Penh and on Saturday the Thai-Cambodian border was partially re-opened.

Cambodia has offered to pay compensation - which is thought to amount to 2bn baht ($46.7m) for the damage to Thai businesses alone.

Officials from both sides have said they hope to put the diplomatic crisis sparked by the incident behind them, but correspondents say Thailand is keen not to be seen to be rushing to restore normal relations, as a way to stress its displeasure.