Dems join passport call | Bangkok Post: news

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Dems join passport call

The opposition Democrat Party has backed the Office of the Ombudsman's call for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to review the issuing of a passport to her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin, in exile since a 2008 corruption conviction, had his passport pulled by the then-Democrat government in 2009.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul returned the passport in 2011.

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  • sirron

    ThailandPost : 923

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    Discussion 3 : 18 Feb 2013 at 15.003

    D2 Only know what I read in the papers..."The passport was reissued to the fugitive former prime minister in October 2011 because he was "no longer a threat to the country", a foreign ministry spokesman said at the time".

    http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/335964/pm-ordered-to-review-thaksin-passport

    As far as I know, there is no regulation prohibiting issuance of passports to" fugitives on the run".

  • pquinlan

    ThailandPost : 1,062

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    Discussion 2 : 18 Feb 2013 at 13.042

    There are far more criteria than just potential to hurt the image of the country. One of which is not issuing passports to fugitives on the run.

  • sirron

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    Discussion 1 : 18 Feb 2013 at 08.071

    Passport issuance is a function of the foreign Ministry. The regulations are written in such a subjective manner that each Foreign Minister can use the oft used Thai saying "up to you". For example a passport cannot be issued to a person who will harm the country's image abroad. FM Kaset thought Thaksin abroad would hurt the country's image, so he revoked the PP. FM Surapong thinks Thaksin abroad will not hurt the country's image so reissued the PP.

    The regulation is not specific about what would or would not hurt the country's image abroad, so it's up to the FM to decide, or waste time and taxpayer's monney rewriting specific laws.

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