Prayuth Promises Not to Arrest Thaksin at Lee Kuan Yew's Funeral

By Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK — The leader of Thailand's military junta has vowed not to arrest fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he is spotted at the funeral of Singaporean’s founding leader Lee Kuan Yew next week.

Close aides to Thaksin have told a number of media agencies that the former Thai PM will attend Lee’s memorial service on 28 March, a day before junta chairman and current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is scheduled to arrive in Singapore for the state funeral.

Thaksin, the de facto leader of the Redshirt movement, was ousted in a coup in 2006 and is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction over a land purchase.

When a reporter asked Gen. Prayuth this morning about the possibility of encountering Thaksin at the funeral, the general snapped back, "It's his business. How will it affect me? … I don't have anything [against him]. And I cannot go arrest anyone on my own anyway. He will attend the funeral on his own. It's up to him. Please don't write news that mixes up the issues."

Although Thaksin has not returned to Thailand since 2008, he has continued to influence politics from abroad and commands a strong following among Redshirts in the country’s northern and northeastern provinces. Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, led the Redshirt-back government toppled by Gen. Prayuth in the May 2014 coup.

Read More: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1427202894

-- Khaosod English 2015-03-24

Maybe they could have a beer together and review the scorecard on who has screwed Thailand more. TS has a big head start but the General is doing his best to catch up.

Misleading title. I am not keen at all on the General and his junta, but all he is guilty of here is giving a retort to a possibly loaded question. What is he supposed to say?

Please don't write news that mixes up the issues.

Prayuth Promises Not to Arrest Thaksin at Lee Kuan Yew's Funeral

It seems that they didn't listen to him.

Besides that, I didn't read any promise not to arrest him, just that he can't do it alone.

"Thaksin, the de facto leader of the Redshirt movement, was ousted in a coup in 2006 and is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction over a land purchase."

No he wasn't.

No he isn't, he's a convicted criminal evading justice.

Perhaps Prayuth should attend the funeral accompanied by some police, who will arrest Thaksin if he shows his cheshire face.

1. He doesn't have any authority to arrest someone on Singapore soil.

So when he gonna learn that it's better to put his foot in his mouth before he starts talking?

2. Of course he doesn't arrest him, the deal was done several months ago.

Maybe they could have a beer together and review the scorecard on who has screwed Thailand more. TS has a big head start but the General is doing his best to catch up.

While Prayut isn;t the best possible PM, he doesn't enrich himself (yet) and he doesn't try to get really absolute control.

1. He doesn't have any authority to arrest someone on Singapore soil.

So when he gonna learn that it's better to put his foot in his mouth before he starts talking?

2. Of course he doesn't arrest him, the deal was done several months ago.

2 yes....else he would at least cancel his passport.

Maybe they could have a beer together and review the scorecard on who has screwed Thailand more. TS has a big head start but the General is doing his best to catch up.

While Prayut isn;t the best possible PM, he doesn't enrich himself (yet) and he doesn't try to get really absolute control.

He is already rich beyond any soldiers dream, and he does have total and absolute control.

Wouldn't mind a bit of what you're on!

Misleading title. I am not keen at all on the General and his junta, but all he is guilty of here is giving a retort to a possibly loaded question. What is he supposed to say?

Nothing. Nothing at all. He should ignore questions such as these.

But, he's either too arrogant or too thick to keep his trap shut for even a moment. If I were a member of the press, I would bait him similarly.

Perhaps Prayuth should attend the funeral accompanied by some police, who will arrest Thaksin if he shows his cheshire face.

Yeah. The Singaporean authorities would have no problem whatsoever with their sovereignty being ridden roughshod over. Great idea.

Thaksin was convicted by a court that had little option but to find him guilty. All they could get him on was a conflict of interest, that is not corruption, but a minor charge the same as they got Samak on for appearing on a cooking program. Quite right Prayuth nor any other Thai could arrest Mr T in Singapore, that's a civilized country governed by the rule of law, and not the rule of thugs and force and illegal coups.

Maybe they could have a beer together and review the scorecard on who has screwed Thailand more. TS has a big head start but the General is doing his best to catch up.

While Prayut isn;t the best possible PM, he doesn't enrich himself (yet) and he doesn't try to get really absolute control.

You expect he gonna announce if he was enriching himself?

Thaksin was convicted by a court that had little option but to find him guilty. All they could get him on was a conflict of interest, that is not corruption, but a minor charge the same as they got Samak on for appearing on a cooking program. Quite right Prayuth nor any other Thai could arrest Mr T in Singapore, that's a civilized country governed by the rule of law, and not the rule of thugs and force and illegal coups.

Thaksins party was in power when he got convicted, so I think they had other options.

What he was convicted for were peanuts, compared with the cases that are on the roll, and waiting to proceed till he's "home".

Thaksin was convicted by a court that had little option but to find him guilty. All they could get him on was a conflict of interest, that is not corruption, but a minor charge the same as they got Samak on for appearing on a cooking program. Quite right Prayuth nor any other Thai could arrest Mr T in Singapore, that's a civilized country governed by the rule of law, and not the rule of thugs and force and illegal coups.

All they could get him on was conflict of interest, because that's all that particular case was about. There are another 15 more serious cases awaiting his return.

Samak wasn't charged with "appearing on a cooking program". He was charged because he got paid for it and he lied about it in court.

taken literally, he still can arrest him after the service

taken literally, he still can arrest him after the service

If he can get Thaksin to enter the Thai embassy, then he could arrest him! But that would be wishful thinking.

taken literally, he still can arrest him after the service

If he can get Thaksin to enter the Thai embassy, then he could arrest him! But that would be wishful thinking.

Prayuth could tell Thaksin that there is a new passport waiting there for him.

taken literally, he still can arrest him after the service

No he can't, since he hasn't any authority on Singapore soil, and as I'm not aware of any international arrest warrant against Thaksin, the Singapore police will also not arrest him even if Prayuth requested.

"Thaksin, the de facto leader of the Redshirt movement, was ousted in a coup in 2006 and is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a corruption conviction over a land purchase."

No he wasn't.

No he isn't, he's a convicted criminal evading justice.

Apart from the 'fact' that the red-shirts have evolved beyond Thaksin, At least that's what I'm told, regularly by a few posters here who seem to know all as if they're being kept up-to-date by the UDD leadership it would seem.

I wonder how the Singapore government feels about possibly having both Thaksin and PM Prayut on the Isle. They are in genuine mourning and I doubt they are in the mood for Thai or Thaksin games. I would think if a choice is forced they would give precedence to PM Prayut rather than private Thai person Thaksin. One way or another they probably prefer to keep them apart. A diplomatic incident is in no ones interest, although Thaksin likes to suggest he'll do this, is asked that, etc., etc.

Just my musings

Don't arrest him. Knife him!!

How erudite.

Why do you have so much hate??

Interesting that both foes will be at the same funeral, do you not think?

come on guys, use your brains,....If they arrest Thaksin and extradite him to Thailand ? once here, ?! it would wake up the red shirts, unite and mobilise them and you would see violent protests and bombings like never before....

Then would would you be happy??? to bash again non stop.....!!!

And we would be in a whole lot of deep-shit.....

Nah... lucky, Gen. Prayuth has a bit more brains than the average TV member....!

I'm sure that Thaksin will make his best efforts to get pictures of the two of them together.

come on guys, use your brains,....If they arrest Thaksin and extradite him to Thailand ? once here, ?! it would wake up the red shirts, unite and mobilise them and you would see violent protests and bombings like never before....

Then would would you be happy??? to bash again non stop.....!!!

And we would be in a whole lot of deep-shit.....

Nah... lucky, Gen. Prayuth has a bit more brains than the average TV member....!

If they arrest him they should bring him back to Thailand and let him go free, only make sure he can't get out of the country.

The problem would solve itself in no time.

Thaksin was convicted by a court that had little option but to find him guilty. All they could get him on was a conflict of interest, that is not corruption, but a minor charge the same as they got Samak on for appearing on a cooking program. Quite right Prayuth nor any other Thai could arrest Mr T in Singapore, that's a civilized country governed by the rule of law, and not the rule of thugs and force and illegal coups.

IMO, of course there is a large difference in the charges against Thaksin and the minor charge against Samak for appearing on a cooking program.

Maybe they could have a beer together and review the scorecard on who has screwed Thailand more. TS has a big head start but the General is doing his best to catch up.

While Prayut isn;t the best possible PM, he doesn't enrich himself (yet) and he doesn't try to get really absolute control.

You expect he gonna announce if he was enriching himself?

Who in their right mind would ever admit to something like that? Do you feel that he is enriching himself? If not, why the silly question? If yes, do you have proof?

Perhaps Prayuth should attend the funeral accompanied by some police, who will arrest Thaksin if he shows his cheshire face.

I don't think thai martial law covers Singapore or prayuth or any of his clowns have any jurisdiction in Singapore. Num probably thinks his has ultimate power in Singapore but he is being misguided. Maybe he could apply for an international warrant and ask Singapore to arrest him.

come on guys, use your brains,....If they arrest Thaksin and extradite him to Thailand ? once here, ?! it would wake up the red shirts, unite and mobilise them and you would see violent protests and bombings like never before....

Then would would you be happy??? to bash again non stop.....!!!

And we would be in a whole lot of deep-shit.....

Nah... lucky, Gen. Prayuth has a bit more brains than the average TV member....!

If they arrest him they should bring him back to Thailand and let him go free, only make sure he can't get out of the country.

The problem would solve itself in no time.

Then he would live a very happy and free life. The Red Shirts love him and the Yellow Shirts are extremely peaceful non violent people and wouldn't even utter a word. I guess his only danger would be from a rabid expat.

What if the Singaporean authorities sit these two together at the funeral? That would be interesting.