Hunt for fugitive former prime minister Yingluck focuses on six countries

[webfact]

Hunt for fugitive former prime minister Yingluck focuses on six countries

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION

 

File photo: Pol Colonel Watanyu Wittayaphalothai provides security escort for Yingluck Shinawatra during her tenure as the prime minister. He is said to have been one of the 14 people who last saw Yingluck in Thailand last Wednesday.

 

BANGKOK: -- THAI AUTHORITIES have contacted Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates in the hunt for former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra as they believe she travelled through one of the countries to escape.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said that the Foreign Ministry has sought cooperation through diplomatic channels with the six countries and checked immigration points along Thai borders to find Yingluck, who fled from the Kingdom shortly before the verdict was announced on her rice-pledging scheme case last week.

 

Prayut said Thailand did not contact the United Kingdom – where Yingluck is speculated to have sought political asylum – as he doubted she would qualify for that status. 

 

Yingluck’s current whereabouts remains a mystery since she failed to show up at the Supreme Court last Friday to hear a final ruling on her charge of allegedly neglecting irregularities in the rice-pledging scheme that caused thousands-of-billions-baht damage to the national budget.

 

Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisat said he believed Yingluck’s escape was well planned with advance preparations made with the help of her brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by a coup in 2006 and now lives in exile in Dubai.

 

“Unlike ordinary people, Yingluck had the potential to escape by herself. Her brother could prepare facilities for her, such as a private jet,” he said, adding that she discarded her mobile phone and stopped using her usual vehicle for travelling shortly before her disappearance. 

 

The army chief said he believed Yingluck had left the country, even though there was no clear evidence that she had done so. 

 

He admitted her escape exposed a flaw in the operations of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) and the Army, which oversees security matters and the border. 

 

Useful discussions

 

Police chief Chakthip Chaijinda said that the officers would talk to at least 14 people who reportedly met Yingluck at a hotel in Bangkok before she fled the country.

 

Police earlier questioned her bodyguards, including Pol Colonel Watanyu Wittayaphalothai, who has provided security to the Shinawatra family’s political office holders since the premiership of Yingluck’s brother Thaksin.

 

Deputy police chief Pol General Srivara Rangsipramanakul said he met Watanyu on Monday. He said it was a useful discussion but he could not disclose any details.

 

Immigration police have checked all possible departure points, including airports, but had found no clues to how she managed to slip out of the country.

 

Thai police have contacted Interpol, which is represented in more than 190 countries, but so far have not yet received any replies.

 

Prayut and Chalermchai reiterated that junta officials, who watched Yingluck’s movements, did not take part or facilitate her escape. 

 

“I do not see any benefit [for the NCPO]. We are now blamed. PM Prayut [Chan-o-cha] calls me every day to expedite efforts to locate her,” the Army chief said.

 

Prayut said: “You people kept grumbling that we violated human rights by keeping a close watch on her, so now don’t complain. I regret we are being blamed for letting her go, which is not true.”

 

All officers found to have helped Yingluck escape will be prosecuted, he added. “There must be a legal way to prosecute her eventually,” he said.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said he was not involved in Yingluck’s escape, adding that he never knew her in person.

 

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry and security offices dodged questions on who would be responsible to decide on the revocation on Yingluck’s Thai passport.

 

While Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said that the ministry needs to be approached by the police to proceed with the revocation, police chief Chakthip said that the ministry should take care of the matter itself. “These kinds of things don’t need an order to proceed. If it is their duty, it can be proceeded with at once,” Chakthip said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30325238

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-30

[Soikhaonoiken]

Come on, look no further than her brothers house in Dubai ?

[over it]

They couldn't find water if they fell out of a boat.

[Samui Bodoh]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prayut said: “You people kept grumbling that we violated human rights by keeping a close watch on her, so now don’t complain. I regret we are being blamed for letting her go, which is not true.”

 

All officers found to have helped Yingluck escape will be prosecuted, he added. “There must be a legal way to prosecute her eventually,” he said.

 

This really says it all.

 

Rarely have I seen so many excuses in one news story...

 

But, this is my favourite;

 

"Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said he was not involved in Yingluck’s escape, adding that he never knew her in person."

 

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[canuckamuck]

Like playing hide and seek with a toddler and you pretend you can't see her even though she is giggling and she has only covered her eyes.

"Where is is Yingluck? I can't see her anywhere! Where'd she go? 

[Thechook]

This is just a show being staged by Prayuth and his fools.  Yesterday they said they won't be cancelling her passport which gives her freedom to move.  They also claim they are hunting her down scouring countries, have they considered that if they cancel her passport it will restrict her?  If she doesn't have a valid travel document then she will be in a country illegally and can be deported to her country of origin.

[JAG]

The

This is just a show being staged by Prayuth and his fools.  Yesterday they said they won't be cancelling her passport which gives her freedom to move.  They also claim they are hunting her down scouring countries, have they considered that if they cancel her passport it will restrict her?  If she doesn't have a valid travel document then she will be in a country illegally and can be deported to her country of origin.

You're right about it being a show.

If they cancel her passport(s), that just means that she will have to apply for asylum. Her status as the last elected Prime Minister of a country now run by a junta, installed by a coup staged during an election likely to return her to office, will mean that she will be granted political asylum. With that will come documents allowing travel.

Cancellation of passports will be no more than a speed bump on her roadmap in exile; but it will draw further attention to the nature of the regime, probably unwelcome attention.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/999401-The-futility-of-another-passport-pursuit

[LomSak27]

Wow ... maybe they will try and,  .......   wait for it ............EXTRADITE !     .......   

 

That will take a few years to debate and play with. By then the fact that they let her escape will be old news.  Just the usual song and dance. 

[catman20]

2 hours ago, Soikhaonoiken said:

Come on, look no further than her brothers house in Dubai ?

cant believe how these people get away with it, if both of them were a ordinary criminals they get them in no time with the help of Interpol. or come to that being such high profile people did they not get recognized at any of the boarders when leaving the country? and we all knew she would be on her toes, it runs in the family.

[cloudhopper]

Hint - add Thailand to the list.

[LomSak27]

Just now, catman20 said:

cant believe how these people get away with it, if both of them were a ordinary criminals they get them in no time with the help of Interpol. or come to that being such high profile people did they not get recognized at any of the boarders when leaving the country? and we all knew she would be on her toes, it runs in the family.

 

So you are saying they Were Not Allowed to Escape  ....  Shock Gasp Horror .... Fascinating, I thought that deflection was discarded within the first 5 minutes.

[catman20]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

This is just a show being staged by Prayuth and his fools.  Yesterday they said they won't be cancelling her passport which gives her freedom to move.  They also claim they are hunting her down scouring countries, have they considered that if they cancel her passport it will restrict her?  If she doesn't have a valid travel document then she will be in a country illegally and can be deported to her country of origin.

why did they not cancel her passport a year ago. i agree with you its a staged show

[elgenon]

The generalpms said the government didn't want to abridge her human rights by watching her movements. What is this called?

I guess letting someone go so you can spend money and have fun is better.

 

I see her with a can of Red Bull.

[catman20]

7 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

 

So you are saying they Were Not Allowed to Escape  ....  Shock Gasp Horror .... Fascinating, I thought that deflection was discarded within the first 5 minutes.

no im saying its a joke that she was allowed to go

[alfalfa19]

Is this a Thai episode of Benny Hill?  Narrowed it down to 6 countries, boy that noose is really tightening. 

[Aj Mick]

Is Yingluk charged with anything that would be considered a crime in any other country?

 

As far as I can tell, no….. So just more pointless words and a futile exercise.

[KIWIBATCH]

What's needed is for some enterprising person in Thailand to produce 1000's of look-a-like latex masks including long black hair,  depicting Yingluck's face.

Get these out into the markets to sell....people wearing them driving cars...riding on buses...motorcycles...etc  etc taking selfies.....and posting them on social media with the comment "here she is"

 

Imagine the headless chicken officials....Sorry but this current "Find/Where is Yingluck" circus...just raised my naughty harmless humorous streak...5 notches...

[klauskunkel]

Quote: While Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said that the ministry needs to be approached by the police to proceed with the revocation (of Yingluck's passport), police chief Chakthip said that the ministry should take care of the matter itself. “These kinds of things don’t need an order to proceed. If it is their duty, it can be proceeded with at once,” Chakthip said. end quote

 

While none of the players wants to figure in the headline of whoever revoked Yingluck's passport, I believe it will be the police, as it is their lot in life to lose face, to bungle things up, to look inept and foolish publicly, privately and officially - and in general be the go-to fall-guy whenever the government needs one. That is their only function, that's what they have been bred and raised for and that's why they are allowed to stay corrupt, and if they accidentally solve a crime, well that's an unintended bonus.

[NextStationBangkok]

Finding Yingluck is is going to be like straightening the hot 'Mama' noodles and make it as single string..... My goodness!

[alex8912]

Laos are you kidding me?  Where would she buy shoes. 

[Minnehaha]

 

[StayinThailand2much]

"Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said that the Foreign Ministry has sought cooperation through diplomatic channels with the six countries and checked immigration points along Thai borders to find Yingluck, who fled from the Kingdom shortly before the verdict was announced on her rice-pledging scheme case last week."

 

Asked, what six countries were contacted for cooperation, the Prime Minister replied: "Atlantis, Zealandia, The Ottoman Empire, The Principality of Sealand, The Free Republic of Liberland, and Asgardia".

 

 

 

[dieseldave1951]

4 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Like playing hide and seek with a toddler and you pretend you can't see her even though she is giggling and she has only covered her eyes.

"Where is is Yingluck? I can't see her anywhere! Where'd she go? 

its a modern day scarlet pimpernel story (they seek her here they seek her there the seek that scarlet yingluck everywhere)

[wvavin]

It is just a great waste of media space on this!

[Roger Harris]

This is better than watching Laurel & Hardy, Tommy Cooper And appears to be a rerun of the goon show

[animatic]

With a Montenegran Passport in hand, dark glasses, dressed down, traveling light with a small bag of clothes and " untracable path greasing handouts" in case she is recognized, like diamonds or metals, there is no doubt she could cross any Thailand border under a name no one would flag. And arrive in next destination with the same passport in hand. Enough money and support structure, it is easy enough.

 

Car on one side, new car on the other, and direct to a private jet at a private airport.

 

She could travel under a new name with an " legitimately" aquired passport and nothing more than a picture provided.

 

Getting past a video photo at departure is doable, 'camera malfunction photo erased so sorry', and the next countries entree officials won't know her well enough to be sure

 

[zaphod reborn]

Prayuth - she has left Cambodia, she has left Singapore, she has left Dubai, she is in the UK as she needs to file her asylum application.  You will never extradite her from the UK, so move on.  You probably want to turn your attention to your immigration officers on the Cambodian border.  Aren't these the same boys who allowed Uighurs to pour across your border without passports at a cost of 10,000 THB?  

[StayinThailand2much]

12 minutes ago, animatic said:

With a Montenegran Passport in hand, dark glasses, dressed down, traveling light with a small bag of clothes and " untracable path greasing handouts" in case she is recognized, like diamonds or metals, there is no doubt she could cross any Thailand border under a name no one would flag.

It is much easier: she could just drive across the open border (cash in hand , just in case she encountered border police), bypassing the official border-post, drive into Cambodia, grease some officials, get an 'official' (actually fake) chop, before leaving Cambodia (whichever way) with her real passport.

 

After all, no request from Thailand to hold up/arrest her, and a (possible) Interpol request taking time to get to Cambodia...

Edited August 30, 2017 by StayinThailand2much

[hobobo]

Why bother with the charade? They didn't want to "catch" her before (i.e. they wanted her to flee), so why pretend now? This country seems more and more eager to leave Asean and join the Union of Banana Republics.

[ThailandLOS]

Easy to find her (if they really want) - just focus on the Chanel & Gucci stores of the Arabian peninsula.

 

The closest CIA station from there would also be worth watching.

Edited August 30, 2017 by ThailandLOS