Thailand’s powerful army has challenged fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to return and fight the legal charges against him, even as the military refuted reports that last month’s coup was planned in advance to rid the country of the Shinawatra clan’s influence.
“We would like to see him come back and fight the legal charges against him. If he is confident he can win, then he will be able to return to politics,” said Gen Chatchalerm Chalermsukh, who is Army deputy chief of staff and a member of the National Council for Peace and Order that now governs Thailand. He told BBC that Thaksin, who lives in self-imposed exile in Dubai to avoid prison for a corruption conviction, and his family could still return to Thai politics. “Everyone who is Thai and is qualified can take part in that election—even the family of Thaksin Shinawatra.
“You will see the way we run things—we are not hunting Thaksin, as we did before. He is free to do anything,” the General said. He also refuted claims by Suthep Thaugsuban, the leader of mass protests which crippled the Government of Yingluck Shinawatra, that he discussed overthrowing the Government with Gen Prayuth many times in recent years.