Thai consul checks Thaksin whereabouts

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday, "If Thaksin can be located, the Foreign Affairs Ministry will co-ordinate with the Office of the Attorney-General to bring him back."

Abhisit said the Thai consul was closely monitoring whether Thaksin would give a speech at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong.

He said he anticipated no legal obstacle to issuing an extradition request for Thaksin since the fugitive would be brought back to serve his two-year jail term.

He added that Hong Kong's status as China's special administrative region was not a legal hurdle for extradition.

Buranaj Samutharaks, spokesman of the ruling Democrat Party, said Pheu Thai MP Chalerm Yoobamrung was the person who best knew where Thaksin was. He said it was now up to Chalerm to reveal exact Thaksin's exact location.

Thepthai Saenpong, the prime minister's personal spokesman, added that perhaps other MPs, such as Suchart Lainam-ngern, should also be questioned. Thepthai said Suchart had admitted to having dined with Thaksin in Hong Kong.

 Meanhile Thaksin's former legal adviser, Noppadol Pattama, questioned whether the government had any legal means to extradite Thaksin. He said he was not aware that Hong Kong has such a treaty with Thailand.

Noppadol also added that Thaksin's scheduled speech at the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondent Club wouldn't constitute a political act as Thaksin would also talk about the global economic situation and not just about Thailand.