All Thaksin’s Passports Already Revoked, Says Deputy Govt Spokesman

BANGKOK, June 1 (TNA) - Thailand’s deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak on Monday confirmed that the government had already revoked all passports of Former Prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The confirmation responded to the remark of Former Foreign Minister Prasong Sunsiri that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not revoked the red passport of Pol Lt Col Thaksin. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revoked the red passport that Pol Lt Col Thaksin held in December 2008, so what Sqn Ldr Prasong said is not true,” the deputy government spokesman said. Mr. Werachon asked all parties to stop commenting on the issue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that before the revocation of Pol Lt Col Thaksin’s passports on May 26, he had held only two brown passports for an ordinary traveler, namely passport numbers U957441 and Z530117. It had revoked his diplomatic passport number D215863 on Dec 15, 2008. Regarding his pending decision on a process to strip Pol Lt Col Thaksin of his police rank, National Police Chief Pol Gen Somyot Pumpunmuang said that he would make a right decision and base it on justice and laws and he was ready to follow the orders of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha and Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan who supervises security affairs. Pol Lt Col Thaksin was toppled by a coup in 2006 and now lives in self-exile to avoid jail on a corruption charge. The ex-premier made public comments in an overseas interview while attending the Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul, South Korea, last month. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to take action against him after the National Police Bureau deemed that part of his interview endangered national security and reputation. (TNA)