|
09.03.09 Foreign Minister confirms talks underway to extradite Thaksin
|
 |
|
|
| |
Source: TNA
BANGKOK, March 9 (TNA) - Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on
Monday affirmed Thai and Hong Kong authorities are now working out an
extradition agreement to return convicted former prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra to Thailand.
Mr. Kasit told reporters that the move
was not political persecution against Mr. Thaksin, but that the Thai
government was duty-bound to bring the fugitive ex-premier home.
“There
is no problem. Legal cooperation between Thailand and Hong Kong is
underway,” said Mr. Kasit. “We are just doing our duty."
The Thai foreign minister made the statement after the Hong Kong-based newspaper the Sunday Morning Post reported
talks were at an advanced stage over an extradition treaty with
Thailand which could be used to send the ousted premier back home.
Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier that Thailand would look into
any possible legal channels for asking China to extradite Mr. Thaksin
with police and prosecutor agencies would sort this out.
Toppled
in a bloodless coup in 2006, Thaksin has mainly lived abroad in
voluntary exile ever since. During mid-2008 he returned to Thailand for
a time, but left to avoid court appearances.
He was convicted
by a Thai court last year to two years jail in absentia for violating
conflict of interest laws while in office.
Mr. Thaksin said the verdict against him was politically motivated.
The former telecom billionaire-cum-politician, who was in power from
2001 to 2006, still commands strong support among rural Thais who have
benefited from his past populist policies, some of which have been
adopted by the incumbent coalition government led by prime minister
Abhisit who rose to power after a parliamentary vote in December. (TNA)
| |
