Opposition to Thailand govt hosting former Sri Lanka president

The former president of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is expected to travel from Singapore to Thailand today to seek temporary shelter. But an international relations expert suggests the Thai government shouldn’t host an official ceremony to welcome the ex-leader as the issue is politically sensitive.

The 73 year old Rajapaksa was pressured to leave his position as president of Sri Lanka due to the country’s economic failure and cronyism. He and his family fled from Sri Lanka to the Maldives on July 13 after a violent protest inside and outside the president’s house on July 10.

The former leader continued to Singapore the day after and submitted his resignation by e-mail to Sri Lanka’s president’s house. Singapore officials announced that Rajapaksa and his family couldn’t claim political refugee status and could only stay in the country temporarily for 14 days until today, August 11.

His next destination is expected to be Thailand and reports say he lands in Bangkok today.

International relations expert, Chaiwat Kamchoo, explained that the Thai government couldn’t refuse to welcome Sri Lanka’s former president because there was no arrest warrant or criminal status indicated.

Chaiwat said that this might cause dissatisfaction among the Sri Lankan people, so the government should play an impartial role and officially announce that Thailand has no special relationship with him.

The Spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Thailand, Thanee Saengrat, reported that the Sri Lankan government requested Thailand to offer a temporary shelter for the former president. He insisted that Rajapaksa wouldn’t claim political refugee status in Thailand and would continue to his next destination after his visit.

According to reports, Rajapaksa holds a diplomatic passport allowing him to stay in Thailand for 90 days.

SOURCE: Thairath