Yingluck on entrepreneur visa, says Pheu Thai

Party: Former PM has not received British asylum

Bangkok: Fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is living in Britain on an entrepreneur visa, and has not received political asylum, according to media reports citing sources familiar with the matter.

Yingluck applied for a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa, which allows the holder to stay in Britain for a maximum of three years and four months, reports quoting unnamed sources in Pheu Thai Party said.

According to the website gov. uk, which contains information about British government services, people from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland may apply for Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visas if they have access to £200,000 (RM1.1mil) in investment funds. The holders can apply to extend the visa for another two years and possibly for settlement once they have been in Britain for five years, according to the website.

There has been speculation that Yingluck might apply for political asylum to stay in Britain after fleeing Thailand to escape imprisonment.

Yingluck, a fugitive under Thai law, has been spotted in Britain on many occasions over the past month.

Pheu Thai confirmed on Wednesday that Yingluck, a key former leader of the party, was in Britain, although party members claimed they did not have any further details about her location and legal status.