Ex-PM Thaksin to return to Thailand next Tuesday

BANGKOK, Aug 19 — Thailand’s self-exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will return to Thailand on Tuesday (August 22), the same day a joint sitting of the bicameral legislature will vote for new prime minister.

His daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra who is also Pheu Thai Party’s prime ministerial candidate said in a social media post on Saturday.

“On Tuesday, Augst 22 at 9 am, at Don Mueang International Airport, I will meet father Thaksin,” she wrote.

Local media reported that Thaksin is scheduled to land at the Don Mueang International Airport at 9 am, local time, in his private jet.

In May this year, Thaksin had indicated he would return to Thailand in July before his birthday but it was delayed. His plan to return on August 10 but postponed citing the need for a medical checkup.

Thaksin, who served as prime minister from 2001 to 2006, has been living in exile since 2008 spending most of his time in Dubai after his government was ousted by a military coup led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

He left Thailand in August 2008 to avoid facing time in prison. He faces up to 10 years in jail for his convictions by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions in three separate cases.

Tuesday is the third parliamentary vote for prime minister, coming amid prolonged political uncertainty after the May 14 General Election. The Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai Party will nominate real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin to be prime minister.

Pheu Thai Party, which came second in the May 14 general election with 141 seats abandoned MFP early this month and is now forming and leading a coalition including military-backed United Thai Nation (UTN) and Bhumjaithai Party, a member of the outgoing government, in an attempt to break the political impasse to form a new government.

The coalition now has a total of 274 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.

However, it is still short of the required backing, which need to be supplemented by support from the 250 Senators in the Senate as a prime minister nominee needed 376 votes in the 750-member bicameral Parliament to be elected and to form a government.