BANGKOK, Aug 19 — Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is set to return to the kingdom on Tuesday, the same day as a key parliamentary vote that could end a political deadlock, his daughter said.
The 74-year-old billionaire was ousted in a 2006 military coup and has spent 15 years in self-exile.
Thaksin has long said he wished to return home, but faces multiple criminal charges that he says are politically motivated.
“On Tuesday, August 22, 9 am I will pick up my father Thaksin at Don Muang Airport,” his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was one of the Pheu Thai party’s candidates for prime minister, said on Instagram.
His return will coincide with an afternoon vote on whether to approve Srettha Thavisin — from Thaksin’s Pheu Thai Party — as prime minister and end three months of political deadlock since a May general election.
To become premier, Srettha needs a majority across the lower house of 500 elected MPs, and the 250-member senate that was handpicked by the kingdom’s last junta.
The progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most parliamentary seats in the election but the military-dominated senate blocked its leader from becoming prime minister.
The Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai party came second and has been trying to form a government.
Parties linked to Thaksin have dominated Thai politics since 2001 but lost two prime ministers to military coups and another to a court ruling.
A bogeyman for Thailand’s pro-military and royalist establishment, Thaksin’s return has the potential to inflame an already tense political situation.
Thaksin said on social media days before the May election, that he would return to Thailand “before my birthday” in July because he was getting old and wanted to spend time with his grandchildren.
He has lived in self-exile, mostly in Dubai, since 2008 but regularly addresses supporters on the Clubhouse social media platform using the alias Tony Woodsome.
Thaksin was convicted during his time abroad in four criminal cases, one of which has now passed the statute of limitations.
His sentences for the other three total 10 years, while he is still under investigation in another case, and in his May message he said he was ready to face justice.
He has long maintained the cases were politically motivated.
On arrival, he is likely to be taken to the Supreme Court and then to a special detention centre before being sent to prison.
He previously slated an August 10 return to Bangkok but postponed citing a medical appointment.
Political analyst Yuttaporn Issarachai said there had long been rumours about his return and still no guarantees it would happen this time.
“I give it a 50-50 chance,” Yuttaporn told AFP.
“His return on August 22 which is the same day as the PM vote in the parliament, might facilitate the vote for Srettha among the lower house MPs, but might cause distress among the senators.” — AFP
