The Criminal Court gave the green light today for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to travel to Malaysia, but required a bond of Bt5 million.
Thaksin’s second attempt to travel abroad was successful, after Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa attended the court hearing as a co-witness.
Maris is known to have been close to Thaksin’s for many years since Thaksin was a foreign minister. Indeed, his appointment as foreign minister in Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s administration is widely believed to be due to those close ties.
According to today’s ruling, Maris, as foreign minister, supported Thaksin’s request to travel to Malaysia this Sunday and Monday. Thaksin also presented written documents to the court to support his request.
The court ruled that the trip will not affect the trial date on the lèse majesté charge and agreed with Thaksin’s claim that his travel to Malaysia will benefit Thailand and bilateral relations.
Thaksin must report to the court within three days of his return from Malaysia.
He was released on bail on June 17 last year, pending trial on a lèse majesté charge, on the condition that he does not leave the country without prior court approval.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is this year’s ASEAN chairman, previously announced that he had appointed Thaksin as his personal adviser, but it is currently unclear as to the reason for Thaksin’s trip to Malaysia.
Thaksin’s first bid to go abroad since being charged failed. In August last year, the Criminal Court rejected his request to travel to Dubai for medical treatment, stating that he could receive adequate care from doctors in Thailand.
