Court accepts Thaksin’s complaint on passports
THE CENTRAL Administrative Court yesterday accepted a complaint filed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra against the Foreign Ministry’s permanent secretary and the consular affairs director-general for revoking his passports, Thaksin’s lawyer sai
Wattana Tiengkul was speaking after attending a hearing at the court with the defendants. Permanent Secretary Apichart Chinwanno sent a representative while Consular Affairs chief Thongchai Chasawat attended the hearing, he said.
Thaksin filed a complaint after the Foreign Ministry revoked his passports – No U957411 and Z530117 – in May as it claimed that some of his interviews negatively affected national security. It is currently being investigated to find the legal grounds to charge him.
After the order, Thaksin appealed to the ministry which however stood by its decision. The former premier claimed the revocation of his passports had badly affected him.
Wattana said the hearing lasted for about an hour and the court heard evidence from both sides. The court ordered that Thaksin’s witness – former vice foreign minister Jullapong Nonsrichai – to document his testimony and submit it to the court within seven days.
“Now we have to wait and see whether the court will issue an injunction to reverse the revocation or not,” he said.
