Come home soon, Thaksin, and go to jail – ex-minister

An ex-Democrat minister and legal expert mocked Tuesday’s suggestion by fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra that he might come home soon.

On Thursday, Nipit Intarasombat, an MP for Phatthalung, said Thaksin could fly anywhere in the world but if he touches down in Thailand, he’ll land in jail.

Nipit Intarasombat said..

“Khun Thaksin is still a rich man who can fly anywhere in the world – except Thailand. He can’t land here yet. All he can do is look down on his motherland while his plane flies over.”

Nipit was responding to Thaksin’s baseless contention on Tuesday night that he would “definitely return” to Thailand this year.

Thaksin, who was thrown out of power by the 2006 coup and then fled a corruption case in 2008, said his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, would announce that he will come home soon.

Tipped to become the Pheu Thai Party’s candidate for PM, Paetongtarn – or “Ung Ing” as she is known – is the most popular choice for PM in recent public opinion polls.

Nipit said his legal expertise offered no help for Thaksin and how he could return to Thailand without having to serve jail terms for multiple corruption convictions. The former PM owes the Thai people a total of 10 years in jail.

Nipit said he could not figure out how Pheu Thai – a simple front for Thaksin to rule by proxy from abroad – could provide a no-jail solution for Thaksin even if it scored a landslide victory in the upcoming election. Most verdicts against Thaksin involve corruption.

Nipt said…

“No one would dare to pass a bill absolving him of these crimes since it would also free many other convicts jailed for corruption, including permanent officials and politicians. The public will never tolerate such an amnesty.”

Nipit believes that Thaksin may be trying to schmooze his way into a royal pardon. This could be problematic in itself as there are still plenty of cases pending against Thaksin. Even someone as powerful as King Vajiralongkorn cannot pardon Thaksin for crimes he has not yet been convicted of. The former PM would have to wait (in jail) for verdicts in several pending cases against him before he could receive a pardon.

Nipit is cynical. To enter Thailand would mean entering the judicial process again.

Nipit asked…

“But when the court prepares to convict him, won’t he flee again?”