Thai ex-PM Thaksin to return from exile amid political impasse

AFP / Isaac Lawrence

Thailand’s self-exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra plans to return to the nation on Tuesday, his daughter mentioned, because the nation is struggling to beat a political impasse after a May nationwide election.

The former telecommunications tycoon, premier from 2001 till he was ousted in a 2006 coup, lives in self-imposed exile after fleeing Thailand to keep away from a jail sentence for graft in 2008. He would nonetheless be topic to jail upon return.

In a social media submit on Saturday, Thaksin’s youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, mentioned she would meet her father at Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport on “Tuesday, August 22”.

Also scheduled for Tuesday is one other parliamentary vote for prime minister, to be nominated by the Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai Party.

Thaksin earlier had postponed his return from August 10, citing the necessity for a medical checkup. He nonetheless faces as much as 10 years in jail. The 74-year-old could be topic to the judicial course of upon his return, deputy nationwide police chief Surachate Hakparn has mentioned.

Some analysts mentioned Thaksin’s return suggests Pheu Thai has reached a take care of political events on forming a authorities after gaining assist from military-backed events.

“Thaksin’s return on voting day shows that he is confident that Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate will be elected in one round,” mentioned Thanaporn Sriyakul, chair of the Political Science Association of Kasetsart University.

The second-placed Pheu Thai this month took over efforts to kind a authorities after the chief of the election-winning Move Forward get together failed in his bid to develop into prime minister.

Pheu Thai, set to appoint actual property tycoon Srettha Thavisin, wants the assist of greater than half the bicameral legislature, together with the military-appointed Senate.

The get together on Thursday gained assist from a rival military-backed get together after a lawmaker from one other military-backed get together mentioned they’d assist Pheu Thai in overcoming the deadlock.