Getting assistance from Interpol to bring fugitive former-PM Thaksin Shinawatra back to face justice in his homeland was no easy task, Thai police said yesterday.
Thai police failed in previous attempts to have Thaksin placed on Interpol's wanted list despite a top court sentencing him to two years jail over the Ratchadaphisek land deal.
Interpol considered the case to be politically motivated, said Police Maj-General Therdsak Rujirawong, commander of the Royal Thai Police's International Affairs Division.
The Criminal Court yesterday issued a warrant for Thaksin on a terrorism charge following claims he masterminded rioting and arson attacks during and after the red shirts' bloody protest.
Thaksin, in self-imposed exile abroad, is wanted in Bangkok in connection with many cases of corruption and abuse of power after a military coup toppled him from the premiership on September 19, 2006. This latest charge of terrorism is the fifth warrant for his arrest.
Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tharit Pengdit has overseen the terrorism case against Thaksin. He said he would seek cooperation from the police in submitting the latest charge to Interpol.
The DSI will use the agency to try to get the fugitive ex-PM extradited from any foreign country he lives in, he said. In countries that have no extradition treaty with Thailand, the DSI will seek assistance from Interpol to bring Thaksin back to face justice here.
Interpol offers some hope for the Thai government to nab Thaksin after it failed many times to do this since his political party lost power in December 2008.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), where Thaksin has spent most of his time in exile, has no extradition treaty with Thailand, and the practice of reciprocity in exchanging Thaksin for another suspect wanted by the UAE has yet to work either.
Cambodia, where Thaksin is an adviser to the government, also rejected a Thai extradition request when he visited Phnom Penh last year.
The fact Thaksin now holds Montenegrin citizenship and constantly travels makes an extradition request more complicated. Tharit said the government had sought Thaksin's extradition on the grounds he was a Thai national.
Interpol is an international police organisation created in 1923 to facilitate cross-border police cooperation and assist other organisations, authorities and services. Its mission is to prevent and combat international crime.
Thailand is among 188 member countries of Interpol and has played an active role in helping its foreign counterparts solve many criminal cases.
Thai authorities have so far put two suspects facing arrest warrants from a Thai court on Interpol's wanted list, as seen on the agency's official website.
The Nation yesterday searched Interpol's website for a Thai fugitive named Thaksin Shinawatra, but none was listed - just yet.
Therdsak explained that Thaksin's arrest warrant for corruption could not be placed on Interpol's wanted or notice list, because the organisation did not intervene in domestic political affairs.
In fact, corruption is not on Interpol's list of offences, which range from abducted girls to war crimes.
Interpol recognises terrorism charges, but member countries' definitions of a "terrorist act" differ, Therdsak said.
The police would submit Thaksin's arrest warrant to Interpol once they received full official documents from the court, he said.
"Of course we'll send the warrant to the Paris headquarters, but we can only wait for Interpol's decision about whether to include the fugitive on any lists," Therdsak said.
Once Interpol accepts a warrant, it enters the fugitive's name and profile into its computer system for distribution to member countries, so they can help watch for and arrest him, he said.