Gotabaya Rajpaksa in Thailand ‘temporarily’

FORMER Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa last Thursday (11) arrived in Bangkok after his visa ran out following a monthlong stint in Singapore where he had taken refuge from protesters at home.

The deposed leader landed on a private jet at Don Mueang International Airport around 8pm local time, a senior Thai official said.

He left the airport’s VIP section around 40 minutes later with his wife and got into a black sedan, local media reported.

Rajapaksa flew into Singapore from the Maldives on July 14 after fleeing a deepening economic crisis and widespread protests in Sri Lanka. He tendered his resignation shortly after his arrival.

Sri Lankans arriving in Singapore normally receive a 30-day visa, but authorities said they had initially given Rajapaksa only two weeks. The visa was later extended by another two weeks.

“The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirms Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Singapore on 11 August,” Singapore’s

immigration office said in reply to a query.

The Thai foreign ministry, as well as a source in Colombo, had said last Wednesday (10) that he was seeking a new safe haven in Thailand.

The source said Rajapaksa planned a short stay in Thailand and would return to Singapore.

The Thai foreign ministry confirmed it had received a request from Colombo for the 73-year-old deposed leader to visit. They were given an assurance that he would not seek political asylum.

“The Thai side received a request for the former president to enter Thailand from the current government of Sri Lanka,” ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said.

“The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought.”

The Rajapaksa confidant told reporters the former leader was keen to go home as protests against his administration had fizzled out, but his successor Ranil Wickremesinghe had advised him against an early return.