Police give military info on Yingluck
Forces tight-lipped on tips regarding flight
Police have given information involving those who helped former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra flee the country to the military, says deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul.
“It depends on the military, if they l odge a complaint again the person,” said Pol Gen Srivara, without elaborating.
The general, who leads the search team trying to find Ms Yingluck, yesterday said investigators are making steady progress, adding the information police have sent to the military is consistent with that of the armed forces.
Pol Gen Srivara declined to reveal the details of that information, saying it is security-related and should be left to the military to explain.
But the information should be made available when the military files a complaint asking police to take legal action against those involved in helping Ms Yingluck escape, he said.
Those involved in helping Ms Yingluck flee the country will face charges of violating the immigration law, said Pol Gen Srivara.
“Ms Yingluck’s whereabouts will be known only when the military lodges a police complaint,’’ he said. He did not specify if the military now knows where she is likely to be.
Pol Gen Srivara said the information has also been given to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, who oversees national security.
Police only support the military by providing information and it is up to the military whether and when to lodge complaints, he said.
Gen Prawit yesterday said investigators were stepping up efforts to examine footage from security cameras to piece together the details regarding Ms Yingluck’s escape route.
Gen Prawit, also defence minister, reiterated that no police officers had a hand in Ms Yingluck’s flight from justice.
Army chief Chalermchai Sitthisad yesterday also said there has been progress in locating Ms Yingluck.
Investigators working on the case need some time to check footage from dozens of security cameras which recorded several vehicles which are suspected to have been used in Ms Yingluck’s flight, said the army chief.
Asked if Ms Yingluck had already left the country, Gen Chalermchai said there is no clear evidence confirming her escape.
The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions issued an arrest warrant for the ex-premier after she failed to show up to hear the verdict in her case on Aug 25. It also confiscated her 30-million-baht surety.
The court has rescheduled the final ruling to Sept 27.
Ms Yingluck, who is on trial for ignoring alleged irregularities in the ricepledging scheme during her tenure, is widely speculated to have fled the country, possibly via Singapore to Dubai, where her older brother Thaksin, himself ousted in 2006, is known to reside.
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai yesterday said that the Foreign Ministry will wait for the court to deliver its ruling before moving to revoke Ms Yingluck’s passport.
His comments were made in response to Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva’s call for the government to explain why it has not yet revoked Ms Yingluck’s passport, as it is not necessary to wait for a court ruling or confirmation that she is not in the country.