Thai FM says Yingluck visitor in Britain, not immigrant

Thailand's former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was reportedly staying in Britain as a visitor not an asylum-seeking immigrant, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said on Tuesday.

He quoted an unnamed intelligence unit as saying that Yingluck, who failed to show up in court and fled the country two months ago, was reported to be staying somewhere in England.

He also quoted British authorities as saying that the former lady leader, if being at the country, can only stay in England as a temporary visitor and not as asylum-seeking immigrant.

She might be legally allowed to stay in England for a certain period of time under the British law, according to Don, who confirmed that all her diplomatic and general passports had already been revoked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Yingluck was believed to have fled the country to Dubai before a court verdict in August. She was said to have traveled from Dubai to Britain where she might possibly seek political asylum.

Thailand's Supreme Court delivered a final verdict in absentia of Yingluck on Sept. 27, which ruled her guilty of duty-negligence and misconduct charges involving a rice subsidy program and sentenced her to five years in jail.

source: AFP