Task force under fire over escape
YINGLUCK’S CAR ‘SEEN NEAR CAMP’
>> The Burapha Task Force overseeing the Thai-Cambodian border is under fire after a sedan suspected to be the getaway car of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra successfully passed its checkpoint in Sa Kaeo.
According to a security source, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has ordered authorities to hold a press briefing after the release of images showing a Mercedes-Benz believed to have been used in Ms Yingluck’s flight.
The images of the car passing the military camp under the task force’s jurisdiction in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district were captured by security cameras late at night on Aug 23, according to the source.
It was also reported that the car was later found left near the border and the driver was detained by security authorities for questioning.
On Friday Gen Prawit said the suspected getaway car passed the military camp but it was not spotted again and there was no convoy accompanying it.
The area where the car was captured by the camera had to pass a military checkpoint, he said.
The security source said that while the military checkpoint is responsible for vehicle searches as part of security measures, it usually targets vehicles entering the country.
Searches on vehicles leaving the kingdom are usually conducted when receiving an alert and a tip-off, the source said, adding the Mercedes-Benz was not flagged.
“Authorities don’t search every single vehicle leaving the country. It’s a standard operation practice at any military camp. Extra security precautions are stepped up when there is an alert about a suspected vehicle,” said the source.
Another highly placed security source said the information about the suspected vehicle was gathered by a team dispatched by Gen Prawit himself.
According to the source, even if Ms Yingluck was spotted at the checkpoint, authorities had no grounds to detain or arrest her because at that time she had not broken any law.
The Supreme Court issued a warrant for her arrest only after she made a no-show on Aug 25 to hear a ruling on her alleged negligence in the rice-pledging scheme.
Gen Prawit said yesterday that the public would be informed when there was more information about the suspected car while insisting the government had nothing to do with Ms Yingluck’s escape.
“There has been progress but we don’t know who helped her out of the country. But I believe she had help from people inside while it’s hard to say if she had help outside the country,” he said.
The government has been accused of deliberately letting her sneak out.
Critics believe Ms Yingluck fled after receiving a tip-off that the court was preparing to give her a heavy sentence. The charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence.
National deputy police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul confirmed on Friday that police found evidence showing Ms Yingluck travelled to the border province of Sa Kaeo. He also said the car mentioned by Gen Prawit was the same vehicle police were tracking.
Pol Maj Gen Noppawat Arayangkura, investigating commander of Police Region 2, said there was so far no order for the office to join the probe into the suspected getaway car.
He said the probe into Ms Yingluck’s escape was being conducted by a team led by Pol Gen Srivara and another by the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc).
Democrat politician Wirat Kanlayasiri yesterday called on the National Council for Peace and Order to launch an inquiry and find the people responsible for Ms Yingluck’s escape.
“The regime owes the public an explanation about how she has escaped. The people are sceptical,” he said.
Meanwhile, fresh findings by Suan Dusit Poll showed that Ms Yingluck’s escape would reduce risks of violent confrontation and decrease political tension.
The survey was conducted from Sept 4-8 with 1,187 people who were asked about the political atmosphere.
According to the survey, 82.31% believed there would not be violence from confrontation and 70.35% believed political tension would be eased. However, her flight from justice would affect the country’s reputation, create double standards and lower the credibility of politicians.