Thaksin's planned trip to Qatar has been called off.
Thaksin Shinawatra's Bid to Visit Qatar Denied
In a blow to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Criminal Court has refused his plea to jet off to Qatar. The decision comes after Thaksin and Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa submitted the proposed travel itinerary to the court on Thursday.
According to a reliable source, Thaksin had received an invitation from the Emir of Qatar, but the court deemed the visit a personal matter and not a valid reason for travel given his current bail conditions related to lese-majeste and computer crime charges stemming from a 2015 interview in South Korea[1][2]. Witness testimony is due in July[3].
Despite this setback, it's worth noting that Thaksin has managed to secure temporary leave from the country to attend ASEAN meetings in Malaysia and Brunei earlier this year, establishing a cash surety each time[1]. The court approved these requests without fuss.
However, his latest proposal included a stopover in Cambodia, at the behest of ex-prime minister Hun Sen, and a trip to Vietnam, neither of which were addressed specifically in the recent court decision[1]. The court's focus was solely on the Qatar trip.
So, while Qatar is off the table for now, Thaksin still has his sights set on other destinations. Stay tuned for further developments.
[1] [Source 1][2] [Source 2][3] [Source 5]
- Thaksin Shinawatra's proposed visit to Qatar has been denied by the Criminal Court, despite receiving an invitation from the Emir of Qatar.
- The court deemed Thaksin's visit a personal matter and not a valid reason for travel, given his current bail conditions related to lese-majeste and computer crime charges.
- In contrast, Thaksin has previously been granted temporary leave to attend ASEAN meetings in Malaysia and Brunei, with the court approving these requests without issue.
- The court's decision focused solely on the Qatar trip, and Thaksin may still be planning to visit Cambodia and Vietnam, which were not mentioned in the court's ruling.
