No plan to revoke Yingluck's passports
BANGKOK: Thailand has no immediate plan to revoke the passports of Yingluck Shinawatra, the Thai Foreign Minister said yesterday, after the former prime minister fled the country last week ahead of a court ruling in a negligence case.
Yingluck, who pleaded innocent to the negligence charge, faces up to 10 years in jail if found guilty of mismanaging a rice scheme. The scheme led to losses of US$8 billion (S$10.8 billion), said the ruling junta.
Yingluck, 50, was elected Thailand's first female prime minister in 2011 and is the sister of ousted former prime minister Thaksin.
She skipped Friday's hearing, stunning thousands of supporters gathered at the Supreme Court, with senior party members having said she fled to Dubai.
Aides said she fled after receiving news that she would be given a heavy sentence.
Yingluck holds two Thai passports, one regular and another diplomatic, and is also thought to hold a third, foreign one.
"The issue has not reached the Foreign Ministry yet," Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said when asked if the ministry would revoke her passports.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said he could not confirm if Yingluck held a foreign passport.
The Supreme Court will now rule on the case on Sept 27. - REUTERS
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