Thaksin's US VISA exchanges with nothing: Surapong
Play
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra obtained US entry VISA since May this year, said Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, dismissing an allegation made by the opposition of exchange with Utapao use.
The former premier applied the visa from the country where he lived in exile since April and the United States granted him a multiple visa, which is valid for 10 years, on May 6, according to Surapong.
The opposition Democrat Party alleged earlier that the current government under Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra offered the US to use Utapao airbase for NASA scientific research project in exchange with the visa for Thaksin.
The Democrat alleged that foreign minister Surapong made the deal during his visit to the US on June 11-17.
Surapong said the request to use Utapao and Thaksin’s visa were not related matters and the former premier obtained visa more than a month before the visit.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced a cancellation of its weather research project on June 26 as Thailand failed to grant permission to use facility at Utapao airbase on schedule.
“The opposition should not politicize the issue only for their interest. Such destructive politics could hurt our country,” Surapong told reporters in Phnom Penh where he arrived on Sunday for Asean meeting.
Surapong demanded the oppositions to take responsibility for false accusation against him and the foreign ministry.
“Shame on the oppositions, they should confess before priests for this sinful act, if they were Christians or make merit to release the sin if they were Buddhists,” he said.
Surapong said he did not know about Thaksin’s visa until a phone call to the ex-PM over the weekend after the news of the visa granted broken by Thaksin’s legal advisor Noppadon Pattama.
