Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. (Photo: @zenjournalist Twitter/VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra isstill waiting for political asylum status to be granted by the UK, a sourcefrom Pheu Thai Party said on January 7.
The source confirmed that Yingluck had filed the request for political asylumin the UK after the Supreme Court released its verdict in November 2017 affirmingher guilty in the rice-pledging scheme-related case.
If her application is approved, she would be granted a passport or traveldocument valid from that date on.
ThanakitWorathanachakul, a senior prosecutor at the Office of the Attorney-General,said Yingluck may have applied for political asylum in the UK. His statementwas made following a series of photos which appeared on the Thai media showingthat the former PM was in Westfield Shopping Centre in London.
The Thai police contacted with UK authorities via Interpol to define whereYingluck is residing.
Yingluck was accused of abusingpower in May 2014. Her dereliction of the rice subsidy scheme supervision ledto severe loss to the country. She will face a jail term of 10 years and facethe seizure of assets worth 35 billion baht (nearly 1 billion USD) over theloss.
The rice scheme was a flagship policy of Yingluck’s election campaign with thePheu Thai party, which helped her win the 2011 general election. The schemeoffered to buy rice from farmers at a double of market price then keep in storehouses nationwide.-VNA
VNA
