The “Hong Kong incident”, which went viral on the social media this weekend, has made it “even more difficult” for two major “swing parties” _ Bhumjaithai and Chartthaipattana _ to work with Pheu Thai in a government, highly-informed sources associated with the two mid-sized camps have told ThaiPBS.
Initially, it was thought that a diplomatic headache between Thailand and Hong Kong was the most to be expected from Hong Kong and can be just a subplot of the general election, as Thaksin Shinawatra plans to attend a wedding ceremony of his youngest daughter Paetongtarn in the island city.
A Thai extradition request, according to reports, was being sent or could be sent to Hong Kong. It would be the first such request, which made the fact that he had visited Hong Kong several times before more intriguing. The Thai authorities said while this could be the first time his locations and travel arrangements were not shrouded in secrecy, a formal extradition request would require solid information from Hong Kong first.
Paetongtarn “Ing” Shinawatra is set to marry commercial pilot Pidok Sooksawas on Friday at the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong. The couple has already landed in the city and the South China Morning Post has reported it understands that Thaksin has also arrived. His sister Yingluck would reportedly be there at the wedding, too.
As it turns out, nobody was talking about extradition now, and a wildfire issue coming out of the wedding ceremony focused on the presence of Princess Ubolratana. A pro-Thaksin Thai Raksa Chart Party nominated her as its sole prime ministerial candidate, but the party has been dissolved for doing so.
Her pictures, some with Thaksin in them, went rival on the social media on the eve of the election. This has caused a major frenzy and uproar, and the Bhumjaithai and Chartthaipattana realised it was nearly impossible for them to work with Pheu Thai in a government, because the latter is known to have close connections with Thaksin.
“What happened in Hong Kong is controversial, making things very, very untenable for Bhumjaithai,” a source close to the party said.
