Thailand's Yingluck fled at the 'last minute' fearing harsh sentence, say aides

[webfact]

Thailand's Yingluck fled at the 'last minute' fearing harsh sentence, say aides

By Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

FILE PHOTO: Ousted former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra greets supporters as she arrives at the Supreme Court in Bangkok,Thailand, August 1, 2017. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra kneeled before a row of saffron-robed Buddhist monks last Wednesday as she offered them fruits and sticky rice soaked in coconut milk and logan juice, a specialty from her northern region.

 

At the auspicious hour of 9 a.m. she released fish at the Temple of the Bells near Bangkok's Chaophraya river, a practise Thai Buddhists believe brings good karma.

 

At that point, aides say they believed she still intended to appear on Friday for sentencing in the criminal negligence case brought by Thailand’s junta over a costly rice subsidy scheme. Within about a day, she had left the country.

 

"She chose to leave because she heard from her sources that the court would give her a heavy sentence and would not grant her bail," said one source close to Yingluck. "She's not a last minute person. She always plans things very carefully. This was a last-minute decision."

 

Yingluck fled with two aides but left her only son, Supasek Amornchat, 15, behind in Thailand, the source said.

 

Another aide, who had worked with Yingluck for a decade, said that she was gone by Thursday afternoon.

 

Yingluck, whose government was ousted in a 2014 coup, went to Dubai, where her brother former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has a home, via Singapore, aides and other sources in her Puea Thai Party told Reuters.

 

Reuters was not able to contact Yingluck. An aide for Thaksin in Dubai said she was not authorized to speak to the media.

 

DOOR LEFT OPEN?

 

Exactly how Yingluck escaped from Thailand remains a mystery.

 

At 10:55 am on Thursday, she posted one last time on her Facebook page in a message that apologised to her supporters for being unable to greet them at court because of heightened security, but at the same time implied she would show up.

 

Even some of Yingluck's closest aides said they were not aware how she left the country.

 

Deputy national police chief General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said police intelligence showed Yingluck was at her Bangkok home at least up until 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

It was not clear why the police had information up to that point but not beyond.

 

The junta has denied leaving a door open for Yingluck to escape - solving a problem for Thailand's generals concerned that if she was imprisoned she would become a martyr - but both her supporters and enemies have questioned whether she had official help.

 

Sources in the Puea Thai Party said she fled first to Cambodia - a route often used by Thai opposition figures in the past as the border is porous and it is less than four hours drive from Bangkok.

 

Thai media have said she took a private jet from Cambodia to Singapore and then on to Dubai.

 

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen denied on Sunday that Yingluck used Cambodia as part of her escape route.

 

By 9:40 a.m. on Friday morning, the Supreme Court had issued an arrest warrant for Yingluck, saying it did not think Yingluck was ill with an ear problem as her team claimed. She had pleaded not guilty to the charge, which carried a sentence of up to 10 years.

 

Hours after the verdict against Yingluck had been due, the court sentenced her former commerce minister in a related case to 42 years in prison. He was denied bail pending appeal because it was too late in the day. Seventeen other people were given sentences of between 4-48 years in the case.

 

Lieutenant General Werachai Indusobhana, commander of the Terrestrial Defence Command, told reporters on Monday that Yingluck's son Supasek showed up for student officer training on Saturday as required for Thai male students of his age.

 

(Additional reporting for Prak Chan Thul in PHNOM PENH; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Martin Howell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-29

[Samui Bodoh]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

"She chose to leave because she heard from her sources that the court would give her a heavy sentence and would not grant her bail,"

 

What an outrageous statement!

 

The Junta has said that they did not know the verdict in advance, and I really really, really believe them.

 

 

[ezzra]

Rubbish, i think that she had a plan B in minds all along, and as the

article stated that she like to carefully plans everything, and I'm sure

that her brother was also on the plan to bolt at the fist sign of things

going south for her..... the choice of fight of flight was cast long time

ago....

[smedly]

I honestly do not believe she has gone anywhere, and until there is proof produced that she left the country I will remain unconvinced 

 

show the evidence 

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

I honestly do not believe she has gone anywhere, and until there is proof produced that she left the country I will remain unconvinced 

 

show the evidence 

I said yesterday that without evidence she had gone, I was suspicious that she may be in truth be hiding here and running a smokescreen. While I am sure she could have left Thailand easily enough if she wanted to, I am equally sure she has enough friends and supporters that she could remain here undiscovered for a very significant period of time. As the monk showed, the authorities are not very good at finding people who don't want to be found.

 

[FreddieRoyle]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

I honestly do not believe she has gone anywhere, and until there is proof produced that she left the country I will remain unconvinced 

 

show the evidence 

V interesting smedly, you might well be right. After all, much easier to escape when nobody is looking for you. I would have expected her to have surfaced in some swanky mall somewhere in a far flung place by now. The plot thickens...

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

It was not clear why the police had information up to that point but not beyond.

insults our intelligence, police saying:'she left while we were not looking'

[baboon]

2 hours ago, smedly said:

I honestly do not believe she has gone anywhere, and until there is proof produced that she left the country I will remain unconvinced 

 

show the evidence 

Agreed. It is perfectly plausible that 'reconciliation' is going on at the top. Neither the junta nor the Shinawatra family would lose an instant's sleep by hanging out their supporters to dry. These are NOT nice people we are talking about.

[JAG]

I said yesterday that without evidence she had gone, I was suspicious that she may be in truth be hiding here and running a smokescreen. While I am sure she could have left Thailand easily enough if she wanted to, I am equally sure she has enough friends and supporters that she could remain here undiscovered for a very significant period of time. As the monk showed, the authorities are not very good at finding people who don't want to be found.
 

It could also be said that they are rather good at hiding people who they don't want to be found - a certain human rights lawyer/activist in the south springs to mind.

V interesting smedly, you might well be right. After all, much easier to escape when nobody is looking for you. I would have expected her to have surfaced in some swanky mall somewhere in a far flung place by now. The plot thickens...

It is quite thick isn't it. I too am surprised at her disappearance. I'm also surprised at Thaksins silence on the matter. It has crossed my mind that he may have been told to keep silent or it would be the worse for her....

[Esso49]

The most likely scenario in all of this perhaps is, that Yingluck and the PM are both doubles. More than likely both the real PM and the real Yingluck are sunning themselves by a pool in Panama debating ,  or even trying a bit of one upmanship,  as to exactly which of them and their friends and/or families,  have ripped off Thailand most over the last 5 years say.

 

Another G & T Prayat ? - no thanks Ying as your scanty bikini is already giving me ideas and you know what I said about them a few months ago 

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by Esso49

[bristolgeoff]

what does she expect to be let and do what she wants after.she was guilty and she cost the country  lots of money.

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Rubbish, i think that she had a plan B in minds all along, and as the

article stated that she like to carefully plans everything, and I'm sure

that her brother was also on the plan to bolt at the fist sign of things

going south for her..... the choice of fight of flight was cast long time

ago....

Spot on!

 

 

"Yingluck fled with two aides but left her only son, Supasek Amornchat, 15, behind in Thailand, the source said."

 

Wow, what a hell of a mother! I'm sorry for her son.

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

but both her supporters and enemies have questioned whether she had official help.

Help no.  The detail watching her must have been a group of senior policemen with poor eyesight and bad hearing.  They were also possibly prone to taking naps during the day as well. 

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"She's not a last minute person. She always plans things very carefully. This was a last-minute decision."

BS. 

[Bluespunk]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Yingluck fled with two aides but left her only son, Supasek Amornchat, 15, behind in Thailand, the source said.

Nice. 

 

Guess she only takes him with her on pr stunts. 

[steven100]

god this is more exciting than those thai soapies   !! 

 

What's will the next episode bring  ?    is she ok  ?

Is she in hiding ? 

[halloween]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

What an outrageous statement!

 

The Junta has said that they did not know the verdict in advance, and I really really, really believe them.

 

 

The statement doesn't say the junta knew the sentence in advance, it says SHE did. And who would know better her guilt?

[SABloke]

"She's not a last minute person. She always plans things very carefully. This was a last-minute decision."

 

Your last sentence contradicts your first two Mr/Miss Source. 

[halloween]

39 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Spot on!

 

 

"Yingluck fled with two aides but left her only son, Supasek Amornchat, 15, behind in Thailand, the source said."

 

Wow, what a hell of a mother! I'm sorry for her son.

Perhaps he was given the choice of living in Dubai or elsewhere and staying here. The stigma of being son of a fugitive criminal shouldn't be too hard to bear, the whole bloody family are criminals.

[Psimbo]

In a country where it is common to run away from car crashes she has proven herself to be a-typical.

 

She is a hypocrite- playing the martyr to the cameras and waxing lyrical for months about how she would face the court then running away like a coward when faced with the reality of the situation. 

 

I call BS on a 'last minute' plan.

[yellowboat]

Just now, halloween said:

Perhaps he was given the choice of living in Dubai or elsewhere and staying here. The stigma of being son of a fugitive criminal shouldn't be too hard to bear, the whole bloody family are criminals.

Yes, and how are they different than the rest of Thailand's elitist or entitled ?  You make those who oppose the Shinawartas sound squeaky clean. 

 

Sure leaving her son was not an easy decision, but does he not have a father ?  Can he not look after his son ?   Is he on the lamb too ?   What of the father ?

[halloween]

Her supporters have to claim last minute if they wish to maintain that she left with junta assistance, or knowledge at least. If the junta knew she was leaving, why would they block her supporters from attending? They could be generous, even offer free buses, so that thousands could travel long distances to stand around in the sun until informed they had been stood up, and their darling had done a bolt for Dubai or wherever.

 

Ha ha, the jokes on you.

[halloween]

1 minute ago, yellowboat said:

Yes, and how are they different than the rest of Thailand's elitist or entitled ?  You make those who oppose the Shinawartas sound squeaky clean. 

 

Sure leaving her son was not an easy decision, but does he not have a father ?  Can he not look after his son ?   Is he on the lamb too ?   What of the father ?

Not only does he have a father, he also has billions of baht and his own football field. I feel so sorry for the tyke.

[Stargeezr]

Just wait a few days and someone will have her photo. Patience people she

will be located. The rich and famous like to shop and party, after all look at her

big brother who is seen fairly often. Just wait a bit and  I am sure she will be seen.

Geezer

[Xaos]

She could use private helicopter anytime

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Dogmatix]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

What an outrageous statement!

 

The Junta has said that they did not know the verdict in advance, and I really really, really believe them.

 

 

The court also said that the judges did not know the verdict in advance, since they had not yet read their individual verdicts to each other, in order to determine the majority vote.

[halloween]

2 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

The court also said that the judges did not know the verdict in advance, since they had not yet read their individual verdicts to each other, in order to determine the majority vote.

But that doesn't preclude someone approaching Yingluk with an offer to get advance knowledge of the verdict for a reasonable price. All they have to do is convince her that they can get it, even if they are selling BS.

Edited August 29, 2017 by halloween

[Dogmatix]

Reuters was not able to contact Yingluck. An aide for Thaksin in Dubai said she was not authorized to speak to the media.

 

Sensible of Thaksin not to authorise Yingluck to speak to the media. Just let them chill out.

[Artisi]

10 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

The court also said that the judges did not know the verdict in advance, since they had not yet read their individual verdicts to each other, in order to determine the majority vote.

I think that is more than likely correct. 

[Beats56]

11 minutes ago, Xaos said:

She could use private helicopter anytime

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 

That would the ideal situation as they can land it just about anywhere with going through a airport to avoid detection.