Police security measures in place ahead of Thaksin’s return
Police have security measures in place for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he returns to Thailand on August 10 as reported, senior police officers said on Thursday.
They said the Immigration Bureau would deal with Thaksin on his arrival in the country by air at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport.
“It is the duty of the police to do our utmost to ensure there’s no incident, such as a physical attack,” said National Police chief Pol General Damrongsak Kittiprapas.
However, he added that intelligence did not point to any possible incident although the police would be fully prepared for something unexpected.
The National Police chief said that the Immigration Bureau and the Metropolitan Police would deal with Thaksin on his arrival.
He said that the assistant National Police chief, Pol Lt-General Prachuap Wongsuk, has been assigned to oversee safety and traffic matters related to the former premier’s return.
Damrongsak also said that police have not been informed about Thaksin’s exact schedule for his return to Thailand.
The plan calls for Thaksin to be detained at the Police Private College inside the Police Club compound in Bangkok’s Bang Khen district if he arrives outside of the court’s working hours, according to a police source.
Meanwhile, deputy National Police chief Pol General Surachate Hakparn said on Thursday that it was the duty of immigration police to hand over to court any fugitives with active arrest warrants on their return to Thailand.
“As soon as Thaksin enters the immigration process, the system will immediately show that he has an arrest warrant,” said Surachate, formerly the Immigration Bureau commander.
He said that the on-duty immigration officer has the duty of informing that person about the arrest warrant, make an arrest, and hand over the fugitive to the relevant court. “The court will issue an order regarding what to do next.”
