UK Speaks on Thaksin Visa Revocation

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The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

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UK Speaks on Visa

 

Post reporters and Agencies

 

Britain said Tuesday Thaksin Shinawatra's entry visa to the United Kingdom was revoked because of his Supreme Court conviction for corruption.

 

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband confirmed at a news conference on his arrival at Sarajevo International Airport that Thaksin's visa would not be renewed.

 

He said the decision to withdraw the visa was made by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith after he was convicted in absentia of corruption charges.

 

Meanwhile, Malaysia yesterday refused to rule out granting political asylum to Thaksin, and said he is free to transit through the country.

 

Foreign Minister Rais Yatim said Thaksin had not approached Malaysian authorities for permission to enter Malaysia.

 

But the government would have no problem if he wanted to transit through Malaysia, Mr Rais told reporters.

 

"We have got nothing against Thaksin. If Thaksin wants to pass through Kuala Lumpur I think it shouldn't damage anybody.

 

"But if he wants to stay here, that's a different thing. We will have to see the merits of his case," he said.

 

Beijing yesterday confirmed Thaksin had been in China recently following Britain's decision to revoke his visa.

 

"Mr Thaksin was in China on vacation. I don't have any further information on that," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said when asked about reports that Thaksin was in China.

 

In a telephone interview from China on Monday Thaksin said he was preparing to leave China, but did not reveal where he was going.

 

He is believed to be planning to travel to the United Arab Emirates.

 

Thai consul-general Pasan Teparak told the Bangkok Post from Dubai that he did not know of the former prime minister's whereabouts.

 

Nattawut Saikua, the government spokesman, denied a rumour that Thaksin had been detained at Dubai International Airport.

 

Mr Nattawut said it was not possible as his security team would not advise him to fly to a place where he could be arrested.

 

A PPP source said last night that he was in Hong Kong.

 

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the opposition and Democrat party leader, said yesterday that Thaksin's interview on Monday, in which he said he would fight back against his political enemies and "start naming names", showed Thaksin had been doing everything for himself and paying no heed to the ongoing divisions in the country.

 

Mr Abhisit said in Thaksin's case, the People Power party-led government also needs to explain if it really has the public interest at heart and whether it really wants to see peace restored.

 

Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, former army chief and former chairman of the defunct Council for National Security (CNS), said he was not afraid of Thaksin's vow to fight back against his enemies.

 

Gen Sonthi, who led the 2006 coup that ousted the Thaksin government from power, said he did not see himself as a Thaksin enemy, but did not know who would be named by Thaksin as having caused him hardship.Vice-Admiral Phajun Tamprateep, personal secretary to Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, said his boss was not intimidated by Thaksin's threat to name his enemies.

 

"It's because [people in] Si Sao Thewes have nothing to do with him and never pay attention to Thaksin's words," said Vice-Admiral Phajun.