The news of Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra leaving Thailand caused a stir on the evening of September 4 when the immigration police at Don Mueang airport stopped him to verify his documents before allowing him to leave.
The leader of Immigration Department No. 2, Police Major General Choengron Rimphadi, confirmed that at 4:50 p.m. on September 4, Don Mueang Immigration Department received a notice from MJets about a passenger on a private plane arriving in Singapore. Mr. Thaksin's name appeared on flight T7GTS.
"System checks show that there is no court ban on exit, nor any criminal wanted warrant pending," said Choengron Rimphadi.
The ban on exiting the country for former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin, previously related to allegations of military recruitment and entering false information into the computer system, was overturned by the Thai Criminal Court on August 22. Therefore, immigration officials allowed Mr. Thaksin to leave at 7:17 p.m.
There were many speculations that Mr. Thaksin left Thailand to settle abroad before the court issued an important verdict regarding the "Floor 14 cases" on September 9.
Sources close to Thaksin Shinawatra said the former prime minister will travel to Singapore for two days for a scheduled health check-up, dismissing speculation about the flight.
However, Thai media noted that public flight tracking data showed that Mr. Thaksin's private plane flew across the Indian Ocean, heading to Dubai - where he owned a villa during his long period in captivity - not Singapore. The plane tracking signal has since disappeared from the public monitoring system.
Mr. Thaksin's Bombardier Global 7500, with a range of 14,260km, can fly to London without re fuel. Flight tracking data later confirmed Dubai as the destination and the plane was expected to arrive at 11:25 p.m. local time.
Sources close to Mr. Thaksin and his lawyer confirmed that the former Prime Minister will return to Thailand to attend the September 9 trial of the Supreme Court on the "14th Floor cases". The case accused Mr. Thaksin of pretending to be sick to serve his sentence on the 14th floor of the Police Hospital instead of serving a prison term.
His departure before the court's ruling and the transition of government have fueled speculation that Mr. Thaksin is on the run, temporarily or long-term. With 17 years of living in exiledity and his daughter, Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, recently removed from the position of prime minister by the Constitutional Court, it shows that Mr. Thaksin is likely preparing for a long-term absence in Thai politics.
