Yingluck, other political exiles, welcome to return, says Srettha

He was referring to a comment made by Yingluck’s brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who said on Sunday that he expected to celebrate Songkran with his younger sister next year.

Thaksin, who returned from self-imposed exile on August 22, 2023, and is currently out on parole, was visiting his home province of Chiang Mai on Sunday and said he missed Yingluck and hoped she was in Chiang Mai with him next year.

Srettha, who was in Hua Hin for the holiday, said on Sunday that neither Thaksin nor Yingluck had informed him or the government of Yingluck’s impending return.

However, he said, he believes all fugitives fleeing political charges will want to return home.

“That will be a good thing, but the legal process must be observed and it’s not complicated,” Srettha said.

Observers expect Yingluck to follow her brother’s example, now that she has been cleared of two cases and only faces conviction and imprisonment for one case.

After Thaksin returned to Thailand last year, he was supposed to serve his eight-year sentence immediately but was sent from the prison to the Police Hospital on his very first night. His eight-year term was commuted by royal clemency to just one year, and after “being treated” in hospital for six months, he became eligible for parole.

Yingluck was sentenced in absentia to five years in jail for failing to stop the fake, corruption-plagued government-to-government rice deal under her administration’s rice-pledging scheme.

In December last year, Yingluck was acquitted by the Supreme Court of malfeasance in her 2011 transfer of the National Security Council’s secretary-general.

Last month, she was acquitted by the Supreme Court again of malfeasance and collusion over the awarding of a 240-million-baht PR campaign.

On Sunday, Yingluck posted photographs of her eating the traditional Thai dessert “khanom krok” at a shop in London. The photos were posted shortly after Thaksin talked about her possible return to Thailand.

Yingluck’s post said this was yet another Songkran she was spending away from home and dealing with her homesickness by eating sweets and fruits.

When asked about possible protests if Yingluck returns, Srettha said he was not worried because she would have to undergo the judicial process like other political figures.

When asked if Thaksin’s visit to Chiang Mai and other provinces boded well for the government, Srettha said he believes Thaksin’s visit to any part of the country would be a good thing.

“Thaksin is Pheu Thai’s spiritual leader and a former prime minister who remains popular,” he said.

He said he has not discussed the possibility of joining Thaksin on visits to other provinces, adding that he had travelled upcountry with MPs from other parties as well.

Srettha said he believes Thaksin will visit provinces that do not have Pheu Thai MPs, adding that these visits should not be considered political in nature. He went on to say that his government would consider any useful advice Thaksin has to offer.

As for rumours of a possible Cabinet reshuffle, Srettha said he did not have to discuss it with Thaksin but would discuss it with leaders of other coalition partners. He said the reshuffle will be made on the principles of putting the right man in the right place, and will consider people’s problems and parliamentary implications.

He also insisted that he has not spoken to the Democrat Party about any plans of inviting it to join the coalition, adding that though some Democrat leaders had visited Thaksin, and their visit can be interpreted in any manner.