BANGKOK, THAILAND - AROUND 100 Thai protesters rallied on Tuesday outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok after the neighbouring country's premier offered refuge to fugitive former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Outspoken Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last week offered safe haven to Thaksin - who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and is living abroad to avoid corruption charges - and suggested he take a job as his finance adviser.

Mr Hun Sen's comments cast a pall over a summit of Asian leaders hosted by Thailand at the weekend and have riled the Thai government, which says that Cambodia must extradite Thaksin if he steps foot on Cambodian soil.

'Hun Sen's action intentionally showed hostility to Thailand, its government and its military as well as the Thai people. It is interference in Thai politics,' said Bangkok protest leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong, adding that Mr Hun Sen should apologise.

Mr Chaiwat is a key member of Thailand's 'Yellow Shirt' movement, which hounded Thaksin's allies out of government last year by blockading Bangkok's airports, but Tuesday's protest was not officially staged by the group.

Security was tightened around the embassy with around 150 officers on guard for the rally, which dispersed without violence after two hours, said district police commander Colonel Samit Choensa-ard.