Thaksin Shinawatra allowed to leave Thailand with 5m baht surety
The Criminal Court has granted Thaksin Shinawatra permission to temporarily leave Thailand, requiring a 5 million baht cash surety to ensure his return. The former prime minister received approval yesterday, January 31 to visit Malaysia on Sunday and Monday.
Thaksin named himself and Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa as witnesses, supported by documentation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to validate his need to travel outside the country. The court mandated a 5 million baht cash bail and instructed him to report in person within three days of his return and notify the Immigration Bureau upon reentry.
“I am going for a meeting, not for a vacation,” Thaksin informed reporters after exiting the courthouse.
His lawyer, Winyat Chartmontri, stated that Thaksin would participate in an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Malaysia, which is the current ASEAN chair. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had previously appointed Thaksin as one of his informal advisers on ASEAN matters.
Yesterday’s court hearing marked Thaksin’s first request to travel abroad since his return to Thailand in August after 17 years in exile. Upon his return in August, Thaksin was sentenced to eight years in prison, later reduced to one year by a royal pardon. He did not spend time in jail, as he was at the Police General Hospital before being paroled in February last year. A royal pardon last year expedited his release.
Thaksin continues to face charges under the lese-majeste law and the Computer Crime Act, necessitating court approval for international travel. The court has arranged seven sessions in July to hear testimonies related to a case stemming from an interview he conducted in South Korea in 2015, reported Bangkok Post.
In similar news, Thaksin criticised opponents of the government’s proposed casino entertainment complex, accusing them of misrepresenting the project as merely a casino. Thaksin defended the plan, stating that less than 10% of the complex’s activities would involve gaming, with the majority dedicated to other attractions.
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