No objections to Thaksin's asylum seeking : FM

The government will not oppose moves by deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Pojaman, to seek political asylum in the UK, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat said yesterday.

The UK Home Office yesterday confirmed Thaksin and Pojaman had sought asylum after jumping bail in the Ratchadaphisek land-purchase case.

Prime Minister Somchai said he was not aware of Thaksin's application but that if the former premier had really applied, the government was not in a position to oppose it.

Foreign Minister Sompong said it was a matter between the UK Home Office and Thaksin. The Thai government is not involved, he said.

"It's the right of an individual [to seek asylum], and the British government has the authority to consider it," Sompong told reporters.

The Thai government will not intervene to oppose Thaksin's application, he said.

Pongthep Thepkanchana, Thaksin's personal spokesman, said he was aware of Thaksin's asylum application.

Meanwhile, one academic accused the government of plotting to arrest protest leader Chamlong Srimuang in order to create favourable conditions for Thaksin's asylum request.

The arrest may trigger a chaotic situation, which Thaksin could use to support his asylum application, said Chulalongkorn University political scientist Panitan Wattanayagorn.

In accordance with the 1951 UN Convention regarding the status of refugees, the UK recognises anyone as an asylum-seeker only when they have left their countries and are unable to return due to well-founded fears of persecution because of political opinion, race, religion and nationality.

"Thaksin can say he could not return home out of fear for his safety," Panitan said.

Thaksin, who was deposed by a military coup on September 19, 2006, is at the core of the ongoing political crisis. He was accused of abuse of power, corruption, causing deep divisions within Thai society and being a threat to the monarchy.

Sompong said he would reconsider a termination of Thaksin's diplomatic passport as demanded by street protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy but that the issue had been pending since the previous government. Former foreign minister Tej Bunnag left the issue months ago for consideration by then-PM Samak Sundaravej, who sat on it until he left office. It is now in the hands of the prime minister's secretary, Chusak Sirinil.

"The case is not in my hands now. If it returns to me, I'll reconsider it," Sompong said, but he declined to make it clear whether he would decide to revoke the diplomatic passport.

Each former prime minister and foreign minister has the right to maintain a diplomatic passport. The military-installed government under Surayud Chulanont revoked Thaksin's diplomatic passport last year, but former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama issued him a new one early this year.