Deposed PM in China, says Thailand coup leader

Thailand’s deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in China, the military chief who ousted him said today.

Army commander Sondhi Boonyaratkalin’s comments came amid speculation that Thaksin may have tried to meet the head of his country’s interim government in China.

Thaksin and his family have been living in London since he was ousted in the September 19 military coup led by Sondhi.

Sondhi, who heads the Council for National Security, formed by the coup leaders and which installed the interim government, told reporters that he had heard Thaksin was in China.

There has been speculation that he tried to meet interim prime minister Surayud Chulanont, who attended a summit of Chinese and south-east Asian leaders in southern China’s city of Nanning on Monday.

However, Surayud said no such meeting took place.

Thaksin’s lawyer Nopadol Patama confirmed that the ex-prime minister was in China for recreation and to meet friends, but denied he had attempted to meet Surayud. He said Thaksin had arrived a day after Surayud left.

“He (Thaksin) said the Council for National Security should not to be worried that he will return to Thailand in the near future,” Nopadol said. “He loves the country and wants to see an atmosphere of unity and reconciliation.”

Both the council and Surayud’s government have said Thaksin would not be allowed to return until the situation in Thailand was back to normal.

“I was told that that he is currently living in China in (hopes of) returning to Thailand,” Sondhi said of Thaksin. “But whether or not he does depends on the government, not the (council).”

The coup makers, who have promised to restore democratic rule within a year, accuse Thaksin of widespread corruption, abuse of power and disrespect towards the country’s much-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.