Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo: nationmultimedia.com) Bangkok (VNA) – Thai police on September 5 publicised evidence that showed former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had left the country.
The police collected footage of about 10 vehicles passing by the former PM’s house on August 23 and 24, saying that she could have used one of the vehicles to escape. Those vehicles were detained for further investigation.
Srivara Ransibrahmanakul, Deputy Chief of the Thai Royal Police, said Thai authorities would proceed with revoking her passport only after the Supreme Court rules on her case.
The police also asked authorities of 190 countries to provide support in tracing the former Thai PM. To date, the governments of Cambodia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have affirmed that there was no proof that Yingluck has entered those countries. Meanwhile, Thai border police has no evidence of her crossing the border.
Yingluck failed to appear for her verdict on August 25, prompting the Supreme Court to issue an arrest warrant. The next court hearing is scheduled to take place on September 27.
In May 2014, the former PM was accused of abusing power as her dereliction of the rice subsidy scheme supervision led to severe losses to the country. If found guilty, she is liable to a jail term of 10 years and faces the seizure of assets worth 35 billion THB (nearly 1 billion USD) over the losses.
The rice scheme was a flagship policy of Yingluck’s election campaign with the Pheu Thai party, which helped her win the 2011 general election. The scheme offered to buy rice from farmers at a double of market price then keep in store houses nationwide.-VNA
