Court allows Thaksin to leave Thailand
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
THAILAND'S Supreme Court for political offences on yesterday allowed coup-ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra to leave the country next month to visit Japan and China, the host of the Olympic Games starting on August 8.
The Supreme Court granted permission to Thaksin, who is facing several corruption and abuse-of-power charges in Thailand for his controversial premiership between 2001 to 2006, to travel between July 31 and August 10 to Japan and China.
The same court granted Thaksin's wife Pojaman permission to travel to China on August 5 to 10.
Both must return to Thailand on August 11. No explanation for their visits was released.
The Olympic Games will be officially kicked off on August 8 in Beijing, where numerous world leaders, including US President George W Bush, will be on hand to herald in the event.
When Thaksin was still prime minister he ranked Bush as his most admired world leader. Bush will be in Thailand on August 6 to 7 before travelling on to Beijing.
Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon-turned-politician, was toppled by a coup on September 19, 2006, on charges of corruption, dividing the nation and undermining democracy and the monarchy.
While Thailand was under an interim, military-appointed government between 2006 to 2007, Thaksin remained in exile, primarily in the United Kingdom where he purchased the Manchester City football team.
He only returned to Thailand in February of this year, after a pro-Thaksin government had been voted in to power.
Thaksin and his wife face several court cases that require them to seek permission from the Supreme Court before they can depart the kingdom. Tomorrow, Thailand's Criminal Court will give its verdict on whether Pojaman is guilty of tax evasion on a 546 million baht ($22.4 million) share transfer to her brother.DPA
The Supreme Court granted permission to Thaksin, who is facing several corruption and abuse-of-power charges in Thailand for his controversial premiership between 2001 to 2006, to travel between July 31 and August 10 to Japan and China.
The same court granted Thaksin's wife Pojaman permission to travel to China on August 5 to 10.
Both must return to Thailand on August 11. No explanation for their visits was released.
The Olympic Games will be officially kicked off on August 8 in Beijing, where numerous world leaders, including US President George W Bush, will be on hand to herald in the event.
When Thaksin was still prime minister he ranked Bush as his most admired world leader. Bush will be in Thailand on August 6 to 7 before travelling on to Beijing.
Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon-turned-politician, was toppled by a coup on September 19, 2006, on charges of corruption, dividing the nation and undermining democracy and the monarchy.
While Thailand was under an interim, military-appointed government between 2006 to 2007, Thaksin remained in exile, primarily in the United Kingdom where he purchased the Manchester City football team.
He only returned to Thailand in February of this year, after a pro-Thaksin government had been voted in to power.
Thaksin and his wife face several court cases that require them to seek permission from the Supreme Court before they can depart the kingdom. Tomorrow, Thailand's Criminal Court will give its verdict on whether Pojaman is guilty of tax evasion on a 546 million baht ($22.4 million) share transfer to her brother.DPA
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