Thaksin arrest warrant issued

A warrant has been issued by the Thai police for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, following his return to England. Thaksin and his wife are both currently under investigation by the Supreme Court, after Thaksin returned to Thailand to fight the charges against him.

Thaksin's bail conditions entitled him to leave the country if he sought prior permission, and he was authorised to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing. His wife, Potjaman, was found guilty of tax evasion last month, and released on bail. Presumably, that verdict was a signal that Thaksin would be likely to lose his own forthcoming court cases. Therefore, he did not return to Thailand from China as scheduled, and instead flew to London, issuing a statement to the effect that the charges against him were politically motivated and that he would not receive a fair trial.

His stated reasons for fleeing are hardly credible, considering that the PPP is in power and also bearing in mind that, when he returned in February, Thaksin announced that he was ready to defend himself in court.