Former red-shirt movement leader Jatuporn Prompan has dared convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to come forward to clear public suspicion about his health, saying the Thai people are sympathetic and will not mind if remains in the Police General Hospital for treatment if he is genuinely ill, as claimed by his supporters.

He also said that he is not surprised by the claim by a doctor at the Police General Hospital, Pol Maj-Gen Samart Muangsiri, that the CCTV system there has been out of order for several years, meaning that there is no footage available covering Thaksin’s presence, as sought by former Democrat MP Watchara Petthong, a member of the House Police Affairs Committee which is investigating Thaksin’s hospitalisation.

In his Facebook Live session on Saturday, Jatuporn said that the Police General Hospital, the Justice Ministry and the Corrections Department should have invited the House Police Affairs Committee to the hospital, to ascertain whether Thaksin is genuinely ill and that is still in the hospital, to clear up all the suspicion about his health and his whereabouts.

If Thaksin is genuinely ill, the former red-shirt leader said the public will not object to his medical treatment at the hospital, adding that the Corrections Department and the Police General Hospital must have the courage to tell the truth about Thaksin, which would benefit all parties concerned, including the former prime minister himself.

Claiming that the CCTV system in the hospital is malfunctioning is ridiculous and will cause more problems, because suspicion will increase, said Jatuporn, as he warned supporters of Thaksin not to under-estimate the people or over-estimate their tolerance.

Jatuporn went on to say that, if the former prime minister did not admit that he did something wrong or accepted that he was rightfully convicted by the court, then why and how has he sought a Royal commutation of his prison term.