Is Pojaman seeking asylum overseas?
Education Minister Somchai
Wongsawat, brother-in-law of the former premier Thaksin Shinawatra,
said yesterday he didn't believe Thaksin and Pojaman would flee
overseas, but he said he never talked to them about their plans.
"They are Thai people so they must live in Thailand. Why do they have
to seek asylum? I am confident they will not seek asylum," said
Somchai, who is also a deputy prime minister.
Khunying
Pojaman, wife of the former PM, flew to China with her adopted brother
and secretary on Tuesday amid rumours they would seek "political
asylum" abroad.
Pojaman, Bhanapot Damapong and Kanchanapa
Honghern quietly left Thailand at 10.40am from Suvarnabhumi Airport in
Bangkok to Beijing on Tuesday.
They were seen to carry several bags with them. Some of her three children broke down in tears as they saw her off.
Reports
have been rife that they would flee abroad after the Criminal Court
sentenced the Pojaman, her brother and secretary to three years jail
after finding them guilty of seeking to avoid paying tax of Bt546
million on a share deal in the late 1990s.
The Supreme
Court's Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders has summonsed
both Thaksin and Pojaman, who are defendants in a trial over the
purchase of a prized block of land on Ratchadaphisek, to give final
testimony Monday.
So there is renewed interest over
whether the pair, particularly Pojaman, will return for the case. The
court is due to give its verdict on the Ratchada case on Sept 16.
Thaksin
has been expected to return from China on Sunday. He flew to Japan on
August 1 to give a special lecture, and was reportedly due to attend
the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing, today.
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