Thaksin flees UAE after extradition pledge

UAE foreign affairs authorities revealed that Thaksin's arrival took place on March 27 declaring himself as businessman, Panit said.

After Thaksin used the UAE as his base to attack Thailand triggering the Songkran mayhem, he was reprimanded to stop his hostile action, he said.

Thaksin fled to an undisclosed location after Thailand notified the UAE about his passport cancellation and his arrest warrants were circulated via Interpol.

Panit paid a visit to the UAE on April 19-to-21 as a special envoy dispatched by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Panit's mission was to speed up the extradition of Thaksin.

He said the UAE authorities recieved the notification of Thaksin's passport cancellation, his two warrants on the conviction on the Ratchadapisek land case and on involvement in inciting the mayhem. The warrants were sent via Interpol.

The UAE also acknowledged the letter from the Muslim community in Phetchaburi Soi 7 pleading for a stop to sheltering Thaksin who incite the red shirts for violent attack on the the community's masjid.