No problem on extradition of ex-premier Thaksin
Written by Writer on Monday, October 6th, 2008
Thai PM : No problem on extradition of ex-premier Thaksin
BANGKOK, Oct 6 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said here Monday he would not obstruct any plan on extraditing ousted, fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from Britain to stand trial in court on graft and corruption charges.
Mr. Somchai, also defence minister, said he still had no knowledge of Mr. Thaksin and his wife Pojaman having applied for political asylum in Britain as reported by the press.
Asked whether the Thai government would request extradition of the former prime minister from the British government as the court has issued arrest warrants for the couple, Mr. Somchai, a brother-in-law of Mr. Thaksin, said everything has to follow judicial process and that he would not obstruct or help anybody. The couple fled to Britain after attending the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games in early August.
In reference to the revocation of the diplomatic passport of Mr. Thaksin, a sensitive issue for the Thai government in which Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat said earlier that the matter is rested with the prime minister’s decision, Mr. Somchai said he would ask the secretariat to the prime minister about its progress.
Mr. Somchai, however, denied accusations that his government had adopted a double standard on taking legal actions against Mr. Thaksin and retired Maj-Gen. Chamlong Srimuang, a core leader of the anti-government People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who was arrested Sunday on several charges including insurrection.
He said Gen. Chamlong was apprehended in line with an arrest warrant issued by the court. Gen. Chamlong is among the nine PAD core leaders charged with insurrection after the group’s members and supporters seized Government House, the office of the prime minister, as well as several ministries and state agencies on August 26 in a bid to oust the government which it accused of being a proxy of Mr. Thaksin.
Police on August 27 issued arrest warrants for nine of the group’s leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, and illegal assembly on the part of more than 10 persons and refusing orders to disperse. The warrants imposed on the nine leaders spelled out serious criminal charges punishable by death or life imprisonment. To date, two of the nine leaders have been arrested by police. (TNA)
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