Whereabouts of former Thai PM Yingluck unknown, defence minister says

 

FILE PHOTO - Supporters of ousted former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra wait for her at the Supreme Court in Bangkok, Thailand August 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's defence minister on Monday said he did not know the whereabouts of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, days after she failed to show up for a negligence ruling at which she faced up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

 

Yingluck, whose government was ousted in a 2014 coup, fled to Dubai via Singapore, sources in her Puea Thai Party said at the weekend. Her departure leaves the populist movement that has dominated Thai politics for more than a decade leaderless.

 

Her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 and also fled Thailand to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for corruption, has a home in Dubai.

 

"We don't know where Yingluck fled and whether she has asked for asylum anywhere," Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also a deputy prime minister, told reporters.

 

"We haven't asked for her extradition yet."

 

Yingluck was often followed by plain-clothes police, said her aides. During a tour of some Thai provinces last year men in military uniform would often follow the former prime minister as she greeted supporters.

 

Critics are now asking how a person under close scrutiny by security forces could leave the country without being noticed.

 

"How should I know?" was Prawit's response to reporters who posed questions on the issue on Monday.

 

An arrest warrant has been issued for Yingluck, 50, who was due at the Supreme Court on Friday to hear a verdict in a case against her, involving a rice buying scheme introduced by her government that lost an estimated $8 billion.

 

A former commerce minister in her government was jailed for 42 years on Friday for falsifying government-to-government rice deals over the same scheme.

 

Reuters could not reach either Thaksin or Yingluck for comment on Monday. Yingluck, who is usually active on social media, has not posted on her Facebook page since Thursday, when she told supporters she would see them at the court.

 

Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association to Protect the Thai Constitution political group, said he would file a complaint on Monday with the National Anti Corruption Commission over what he called government officials' failure to prevent Yingluck from fleeing.

 

By mid-morning on Monday Janya had not yet filed the complaint.

 

Sentencing in Yingluck's case has been moved to September 27 and will be delivered in absentia.

 

(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-28

who cares really, she deserves everything that happens to her, she should never had let her brother talk her into being his puppet, then again she cant help being stupid

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

"How should I know?" was Prawit's response to reporters

 

How about, because it's your job?

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

"We haven't asked for her extradition yet."

And there is little point bothering, because no one is going to extradite her to an unelected military Junta on a charge that has "politically motivated" written all over it.

As for Prayut (supposedly) not having the first clue about how she managed to run off, while being closely watched, it shows what a total bunch of incompetents they are. Either that or just bare faced liars. Neither are particularly admirable traits in a country's leader.

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

Her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 and also fled Thailand to avoid a 2008 jail sentence for corruption,

Half correct. 

"We haven't asked for her extradition yet."  I wonder why

 

 

39 minutes ago, seajae said:

who cares really, she deserves everything that happens to her, she should never had let her brother talk her into being his puppet, then again she cant help being stupid

perhaps the brightest guy in our village, an engineer, educated overseas, had a nickname for her : 'clueless'

32 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

And there is little point bothering, because no one is going to extradite her to an unelected military Junta on a charge that has "politically motivated" written all over it.

As for Prayut (supposedly) not having the first clue about how she managed to run off, while being closely watched, it shows what a total bunch of incompetents they are. Either that or just bare faced liars. Neither are particularly admirable traits in a country's leader.

what i would love is for one of these bare-faced types to come out and say: "we are the 'best' of a set of bad options"

Half correct. 

"We haven't asked for her extradition yet."  I wonder why
 
 

Perceptions matter, and this is how most of the world perceive the regime that at present governs Thailand.

It's not so much the lies but the insult to the intelligence that I can't stand.

I'll miss her. She had a nice smile 

Be thankful you live in a country where authoritarian governments have Thai characteristics (sloppy, lazy, inefficient, incompetent, mostly harmless).

Their attempts to cover the truth, create confusion/distraction are simply laughable.

They were even lurking around her house and stating that her phone's signal is still received.

A Thai fleeing without her phone, impossible

 

The minister should read Thaivisa forum to know where she is.

I am looking forward to her first Facebook message from exile.

Maybe she is in Las Vegas or Macao.

Send a delegation of 300 representatives.

Make sure they have some spending money.

Edited August 28, 20178 yr by mark01
?

Which way did she go George?  Which way did she go?

32 minutes ago, JAG said:

 

Perceptions matter, and this is how most of the world perceive the regime that at present governs Thailand.

 

True, but agencies like Reuters should get their facts right. 

 

Can't wait for the movie and TV series

Latest news or rumour if you like, is she was seen having a red bull with that guy that also fled the country, his long and unusual name eludes me at present, it also said he was considering returning to Thailand to face the music...., but didn't mention anything about Yingluck.

37 minutes ago, JAG said:

 

Perceptions matter, and this is how most of the world perceive the regime that at present governs Thailand.

 

Yes that was the point I was making in the medium of visuality 

1 hour ago, seajae said:

who cares really, she deserves everything that happens to her, she should never had let her brother talk her into being his puppet, then again she cant help being stupid

Maybe so but compared with Prayuth she's like Stephen Hawking.

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

And there is little point bothering, because no one is going to extradite her to an unelected military Junta on a charge that has "politically motivated" written all over it.

As for Prayut (supposedly) not having the first clue about how she managed to run off, while being closely watched, it shows what a total bunch of incompetents they are. Either that or just bare faced liars. Neither are particularly admirable traits in a country's leader.

 

Any country with a real law system and an extradition treaty with Thailand would take a formal request for extradition seriously. They would follow their own legal procedures in reaching a decision on whether to extradite or not.

 

They would look at the actual law details of the case, law broken and evidence. They wouldn't fall for the "politically motivated" excuse so glibly trotted out on TVF as a reason to excuse Yingluck's negligence. They would also look at the Junta but as all countries continue to have normal relations with Thailand regardless of a Junta government, then that in itself may not been seen as an issue.

In the EU she could appeal to the EU Court of Justice, backed by the two tame German MEP's who came to visit her. Now that court would probably block any extradition based on past record. As that really is an example of a politically controlled court.

 

It seems inconceivable that someone under close scrutiny can slip so easily away so close to a verdict. Either some gross incompetence, or some big porkies being told. It's extraordinary here how lying is so natural and off the cuff. 

 

As for extradition. Well they have to deliver the verdict first, and sentence, in absentia. Then someone would need to complete the extradition request after discovering where she is. As a bail abscondee she's a fugitive. Have they organized an Interpol blue or red notice? Don't hold your breath for any of that happening anytime soon!

6 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

Maybe so but compared with Prayuth she's like Stephen Hawking.

 

What leads you to that conclusion Stephen?

 

Have you ever watched any of her interviews or speeches? 

 

I doubt she is stupid. But like many mega rich Thai elites, not really interested in using the education she was afforded as there's no need. 

 

 

Edited August 28, 20178 yr by Baerboxer

At the end of the day they really don't give a damn about Yingluck running away, who helped her or whatever.

 

So long as the money flows into their pockets and into the pockets of their backers and cronies all is well in their little world.

1 minute ago, Oziex1 said:

At the end of the day they really don't give a damn about Yingluck running away, who helped her or whatever.

 

So long as the money flows into their pockets and into the pockets of their backers and cronies all is well in their little world.

 

Sadly, that just about sums it up. For all sides. All about the money and who controls the flow.

where the hell is she damn it  !

she's probably sitting up in the brothers mansion right now sucking on champagne.   

1 minute ago, Baerboxer said:

 

What leads you to that conclusion Stephen?

 

Have you ever watched any of her interviews or speeches? 

 

 

Yeah, she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer for sure and I cringed once watching her being interviewed because it was so painful.  but I can't think of anyone dumber than Prayuth.  I don't think I've ever heard utter a coherent sentence.  I don't even think the frog understood him.

25 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

True, but agencies like Reuters should get their facts right. 

 

I once dd some work with Reuters - not their journalists but their management. I used to have a much better opinion of them as an organization and source of reliable news. It's been diminished by the constant incorrect comments that favor the Shiniwattras.

You only have to miss out a bit of detail or use certain words to influence perception. Reuters will rely on the unbiased professionalism of the two journalists mentioned in the OP. Sadly, they seem to repeat a few small distortions that have a big potential affect on how the situation is perceived by those who have little other subject knowledge.

3 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

Yeah, she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer for sure and I cringed once watching her being interviewed because it was so painful.  but I can't think of anyone dumber than Prayuth.  I don't think I've ever heard utter a coherent sentence.  I don't even think the frog understood him.

 

Many Thai people I know say her spoken Thai isn't impressive either! But, again, as a billionaire, she's not likely bothered!

That's often the case with people born into wealth. 

 

You should watch Prayuth on TV more. He's smarter than he seems. But not necessarily making all the decisions. 

 

It's very hard to judge anybodies real intelligence when that person is in actor/actress mode!

12 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

Yeah, she's not the sharpest knife in the drawer for sure and I cringed once watching her being interviewed because it was so painful.  but I can't think of anyone dumber than Prayuth.  I don't think I've ever heard utter a coherent sentence.  I don't even think the frog understood him.

Now I don't care for the man at all and hate everything he stands for, but even when you factor in the obligatory corruption and nepotism, I still highly doubt you could make it to army chief if you are an out and out imbecile.

1 minute ago, baboon said:

Now I don't care for the man at all and hate everything he stands for, but even when you factor in the obligatory corruption and nepotism, I still highly doubt you could make it to army chief if you are an out and out imbecile.

A fair point but I'm not so sure. He wouldn't be the first intellectually-challenged person in history to rise to the top of the heap. Or, perhaps he isn't actually as dumb as he sounds,  just has problems expressing himself coherently.  Maybe that's why he's uses the medium of poetry to convey his sentiments.  He clearly is not comfortable in front a media scrum.  He seemed more comfortable when he was chatting with the frog mind despite the media presence.