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| Southeast Asia |
| Thaksin and missus jump bail and flee to Britain |
| 2008-08-12 |
| The former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra skipped bail yesterday and fled to exile in Britain, claiming he could not expect a fair trial on corruption charges because of political interference. Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, who was sentenced to three years in prison two weeks ago for fraud, said they flew to Britain because they had received "death threats" in Thailand. Rumours were rife that the couple would flee after Pojaman, 51, was convicted of evading millions of pounds in taxes in connection with a 1997 shares transfer deal. But family aides had scotched the suggestion. Immediately after Pojaman was sentenced, along with her stepbrother, Bhanapot Damapong, and former secretary, Kanchanpana Honghern, on July 31, Thaksin left for a speaking engagement in Japan before travelling to China for the Olympics opening ceremony. Last Thursday the trio boarded a flight for Beijing to meet Thaksin. But when Thaksin and his wife, who were due to appear before the supreme court in Bangkok, failed to return to Thailand arrest warrants were issued and the court ordered the forfeiture of £195,000 bail bond. The tycoon's son Phantongtae and daughters Pinthongta and Paethontan, also face corruption allegations. In a handwritten statement faxed from London and read on Thai state television, Thaksin, 59, said he travelled to Britain rather than board a flight he had booked to take him back to Bangkok on Sunday. No mention was made of seeking political asylum in Britain. The tycoon, who held office for five years, said he would remain in Britain indefinitely, but hoped that he would be able to return to his homeland one day. "My wife and I have travelled to reside in England," he said in the statement. "If I still have luck, I would come back to die on Thai soil like every other Thai person. What happened to my family is like fruit from a poisonous tree - the fruit will also be poisoned. "There is a continuation of dictatorship managing Thai politics ... which is followed by interference in the justice system. These are my political enemies." |
| Posted by:Fred |