Yingluck can travel if a court permits it, Prayut says; Panthongtae gets warning

Prayut was reacting to a reporter’s question that – given rulings since the coup that individuals who have been summoned, Yingluck included, must seek permission to travel abroad from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) – would that ruling change with the impeachment?

Prayut said it would now be up to a court to determine if Yingluck can travel overseas or not. The former PM was indicted by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) last Friday for alleged dereliction of duty in regard to graft and huge losses in the rice-pledging scheme.

On the same day she was impeached by the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) for dereliction of duty in regard to the rice scheme.

If found guilty, she could face up to 10 years in jail.

Pressed further by reporters on whether Yingluck can travel if no law prevents her, Prayut said one must look into details to see if Yingluck is already in the midst of a judicial process or not – and whether she should be legally restricted or not.

Army Chief General Udomdej Sitabutr echoed a similar view yesterday, saying the military would not prevent Yingluck from travelling abroad. 

He said that NLA members acted freely in deciding to impeach Yingluck last week.

This was in line with Prayut, who denied that Yingluck was being unfairly hunted down and reiterated that the impeachment by the NLA and the OAG’s move to press a criminal case against Yingluck had nothing to do with national reconciliation.

“It won’t affect [reconciliation]. I said before that we must separate the matters and recognise what is reconciliation and what is a legal case … Everyone must accept the rules. If no one accepts the rules, then we shall return to where we were [before the coup],” the PM said. 

He added that NLA members were not on his side but appointed due to their suitability for the job and that they had decided on Yingluck freely.

The premier stressed that people must understand that everything must be done in accordance with the law. No demonstration or protest over the issue or any other issue would be permitted, Prayut said.

“No matter who they are, [opponents] can’t make a move [to demonstrate or protest],” he said.

Asked if Yingluck had contacted him since the impeachment, Prayut said no.

Meanwhile, Udomdej was asked if what Panthongtae Shinawatra, son of former premier Thaksin, wrote on his Facebook page after the impeachment last Friday was tantamount to stirring up political opposition.

The Army chief said he would like Panthongtae to be careful |in expressing himself and make sure what he says is within bounds. 

“[If] we can tolerate [what he says] we won’t take any action,” Udomdej said.