Another Arrest Warrant For Former Thai PM Yingluck

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa BANGKOK, Oct 6 (Bernama) – Another arrest warrant has been issued for former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, this time for failing to use the official immigration checkpoint while travelling out of the country, said Thailand’s National Police Deputy Chief Gen Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul. The warrant was issued by the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court on Wednesday. "The latest arrest warrant is for her failure to use the official immigration checkpoint to travel outside of the country," he told the media, adding that it was the third arrest warrant issued against Yingluck since late August. The first was issued when Yingluck failed to turn up in the Supreme Court on Aug 25 for a key verdict, and the second for her failure to appear in a similar court on Sept 27. The Supreme Court has since sentenced her in absentia to five years in jail for negligence in the controversial rice subsidy scheme implemented during her administration. Yingluck has not been seen in public nor has she issued any statement since failing to appear in court on Aug 25. A day after her sentencing, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed that the younger sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had fled to Dubai where billionaire Thaksin owns a house. Since Prayut's announcement, Yingluck, according to sources and later confirmed by the government, had left Dubai for the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, acting spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party, Anusorn Iamsa-ard, has denied any knowledge of Yingluck's plan to seek asylum in the UK. He also brushed aside rumours in the local media alleging that Yingluck could be attempting to form a government-in-exile, saying that Pheu Thai wanted the country to reconcile, be peaceful and move forward. Acting secretary-general of the party, Phumtham Wechayacha, in his Facebook account, denied any knowledge about a government-in-exile attempt nor Yingluck's plan to seek asylum in the UK. -- BERNAMA