Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa on Wednesday downplayed reports that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s role as a “campaign assistant” for the Pheu Thai Party may be illegal as he holds dual citizenship.
Political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee has petitioned the Election Commission (EC), seeking an investigation into Thaksin’s involvement, following the ex-premier’s high-profile visit to Udon Thani recently.
Mr Sonthiya drew attention to reports that Thaksin had purchased a second citizenship in Montenegro or another country. Montenegro prohibits dual citizenship but from 2019-22 it offered “citizenship by investment” to those who invested at least 250,000 euros in the country. Though the window has closed, requests for the “golden passports” are still being processed, according to some reports.
Mr Maris declined to comment on whether Thaksin holds a second passport.
Suriya Jungrungreangkit, the transport minister and a key Pheu Thai figure, said the party’s legal team had discussed the reports.
He said it found Thaksin had not broken any law when he helped Pheu Thai campaign for the Udon Thani provincial administrative organisation chairman last week. “The team studied the law and found there was nothing to worry about,” Mr Suriya said.
Thaksin and Pheu Thai have been the targets of multiple legal complaints that centre on his barely concealed influence over the government. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to decide on Friday whether to take up one of the complaints.
Meanwhile, Mr Maris said former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra — Thaksin’s sister — had not contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pursue her plans to return to Thailand from exile.
Nikkei Asia on Monday quoted Thaksin as saying Yingluck should be able to return during or just prior to the Songkran festival next April.
He was quoted as saying he did not see any obstacles to her return.
Thaksin said during a visit in April to his home province of Chiang Mai that Yingluck — who fled the country in 2017 shortly before a court ruling on her administration’s fraudulent rice-pledging scheme — might return to her homeland this year.
