The Bangkok Post reports:
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra narrowly escaped arrest in Kuala Lumpur, slipping out of his hotel ahead of police and flying to the Pacific Island country of Fiji, Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Sennian said in Pattani province on Monday.
Mr Thaworn said the Malaysian government had cooperated with Thailand in planning to arrest the fugitive former prime minister on learning of he was staying at the Shangri-la Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
But Thaksin was vigilant enough to escape arrest and caught a plane to Fiji.
The minister did not reveal when this happened.
BP: Woohoo! So Thaksin managed to sneak out of his hotel, evade police capture, make it to the airport, and board an international flight? Did the Malaysian police think to check out the airport particularly as Thaksin has been flying in a private jet? Malaysian papers only repeat what Thaworn says with no information from the Malaysian side. Well it is either the Malaysian police are incompetent or that Thaworn is being a little economical with the truth? Given the Thaksin is in Cambodia rumours, it is interesting that the Thai government is now switching to Thaksin was in Malaysia.
Should note that from Matichon that Deputy PM Sanan says he is unsure of this news (ไม่มั่นใจในข่าวดังกล่าว).
This, of course, doesn't mean that Thaksin was not in Malaysia, but there are so many holes in Thaworn's story that it is just laughable.
Thaksin must have some secret admirers among Malaysian officials who tipped him off on the imminent arrest. But I don't trust this democrat minister with his stories because this guy did it so as to provide an excuse for democract govt's failure to solve the southern unrest.
In todays Bkk Post Noppadon confirmed his boss was in Malaysia. Still laughable ?