Thailand to ask Hong Kong to extradite Thaksin Shinawatra
- The exiled former prime minister is in Hong Kong to witness the wedding of his youngest daughter Paetongtarn ‘Ing’ Shinawatra to Pidok Sooksawas
- The news comes just days ahead of Thailand’s general election, which the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Thai party is expected to win
Thai authorities are seeking the extradition of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from Hong Kong, local media said on Tuesday, as his powerful political family began descending on the city for a wedding ahead of Sunday’s general election.
Thaksin’s youngest daughter Paetongtarn “Ing” Shinawatra is set to marry commercial pilot Pidok Sooksawas on Friday at the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong. The couple has already landed in the city and the South China Morning Post understands Thaksin has also arrived.
Thaksin frequents Hong Kong as he uses the city as a base to meet with politicians from the Pheu Thai Party loyal to him. Thaksin, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, was deposed in a coup and has been in self-exile since 2008 to escape criminal charges he says are trumped up by the military establishment.
Usually accompanying Thaksin, 59, during his Hong Kong trips is his sister, Yingluck, who was also deposed by the military after serving as prime minister from 2011 to 2014.
Chatchom Akapin, head of the public prosecutor’s overseas department, reportedly said a formal extradition request would be put in as soon as authorities found out where exactly Thaksin would be staying. He said this was the first time such a request was being made to Hong Kong authorities.
“Thaksin is still wanted for a conviction under Thai law,” Chatchom told reporters, according to the Khaosod English news website.
Thailand and Hong Kong do not have an extradition treaty. The Post asked Hong Kong’s Department of Justice if Thai authorities had made a request or what it would do if such a request was made, but the department would only say that it did not comment on individual cases.