The Malaysian Insider understands the telecom tycoon’s visit this time received better treatment, now that his sister Yingluck is Thai prime minister, unlike two years ago when the Democrat government was in power and pursuing him as a fugitive from the law.
“Thaksin was in town last week and had dinner with Najib and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor,” a source told The Malaysian Insider.The former Thai prime minister told a Thai radio station in July 2009 that he landed earlier that month in Malaysia while en route to Fiji. He also claimed that the police sent Special Branch officers as security escort for his weekend stay in Kuala Lumpur.
It was learnt that the government ushered him out of the country when the previous Thai government protested through diplomatic backchannels to their southern neighbour.
Then Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan denied that Thaksin was in Malaysia or given any protection despite reports — quoting then Thai deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Senneam — saying the ousted premier was spotted in Malaysia, but left the country before he could be arrested by the authorities.
Thaworn had said Thai embassy officials then informed the Malaysian authorities, asking them to arrest Thaksin and extradite him.
“We were only alerted by the Thai embassy here of the fugitive’s supposed presence early this month following a news report in Bangkok.
“As far as we are concerned, he was never in the country and we did not send 20 Special Branch officers to protect him. We have checked with local hotels, Immigration and other sources, and there is no evidence to show that he was ever here,’’ Musa had said then.
Thaksin was ousted in a Thai military coup in September 2006. His sister Yingluck won the Thai elections last year and she was later sworn in as prime minister. Despite that, Thaksin has yet to return to Thailand.
