Yingluck Must Follow Legal Protocols for Thailand Return, Says Minister

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Picture courtesy: Facebook Yingluck Shinawatra

 

The possibility of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra returning to Thailand has been highlighted by Justice Minister Thawee Sodsong, following comments by her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, also a former Prime Minister. Thaksin mentioned in an interview that Yingluck is planning to return for next year's Songkran festival.

 

Minister Thawee clarified that while there has been no formal notification regarding Yingluck's return, any such move would need to adhere strictly to legal procedures. He pointed out that the Department of Corrections can only take action once a detention warrant has been issued by the court.

 

Upon receiving the necessary warrant, the department will ensure that all processes follow the law. According to current correctional regulations, any female inmate, including Yingluck, must serve her sentence in a central correctional facility. Minister Thawee reassured that there would be no deviation from the established legal framework.

 

Questions have been raised regarding whether Yingluck's return would mirror that of her brother Thaksin, who returned to Thailand under controversial circumstances and sought a royal pardon. Thawee, however, was not the justice minister during Thaksin's return and emphasised that Yingluck's case would have to comply entirely with correctional law.

When further queried about her return, Thawee noted, "There is no specific model; everything must follow the law."

 

Thaksin had previously given an interview to Nikkei Asia on 14th November while in Udon Thani for provincial-administrative-organisation election campaigning. He expressed optimism about his sister's return, despite her self-exile following a 2017 conviction concerning a rice-pledging scheme.

 

Thaksin stated, “I don’t think there’s any issue preventing her from coming home. I believe she might return slightly before [Songkran], depending on timing and opportunity.”

 

This development places Yingluck's future actions under the spotlight, with legal adherence being critical to any plans for her to resettle in Thailand. The situation continues to unfold, with many watching to see how these legal processes will be navigated in the coming months, reported The Nation.

 

-- 2024-11-20

 

 

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Thaksin Hints at Yingluck's Return Before Songkran Festival

 

File photo courtesy: Thai Rath

 

Thaksin Shinawatra, the influential figure behind the Pheu Thai Party, has confidently announced that his sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, plans to return to Thailand from self-exile by next April.

 

In a recent interview with Nikkei Asia, Thaksin revealed that Yingluck, who was sentenced to a five-year prison term in absentia for negligence and misconduct, is expected to return before Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year celebrated with water festivities.

 

Expressing optimism, Thaksin conveyed that no obstacles should hinder Yingluck's return ahead of the nationwide festival, suggesting favourable conditions may soon permit her homecoming. This follows Thaksin's own return to Thailand last year after 17 years abroad, during which he managed to avoid serving a curtailed one-year jail sentence.

 

Thaksin himself faces ongoing legal challenges, including a high-profile lese majeste case, which he claims is unfounded. He is scheduled to present his defence in court next July. Since a contentious interview in Seoul in 2015, where he discussed the monarchy in the context of the 2006 coup that ousted him, legal battles have continued to mount.

Additionally, Thaksin is under scrutiny for allegedly using his connections to manipulate the ruling Pheu Thai Party, led by his daughter and current Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Accusations include orchestrating a political fake-out by posing as a critically ill patient to avoid prison time and using influence for personal and political gains.

 

If the Constitutional Court rules against Thaksin, he could face imprisonment, the dissolution of the Pheu Thai Party, and a political ban on its executive members, including potential impacts on his daughter's premiership. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, now Prime Minister, is determined to avoid the pitfalls that led to her predecessor Srettha Thavisin's removal from office last August over allegations of power abuse.

 

Amid these complex legal and political dynamics, Thaksin remains a pivotal figure, striving not only for his sister's safe return but also to maintain his influence in Thai politics despite the challenges he and his family face, reported Thai Newsroom.

 

-- 2024-11-20

 

 

[JoePai]

And how much is this going to cost Him ?

[terryq]

I must congratulate all Thai Ministers, and this Minister in particular, for their composure.

 

How they can make such statements with a straight face and not be rolling on the floor laughing is beyond  me.