Thai media: UK revokes ousted PM Thaksin's visa

The Associated Press ,  Bangkok   |  Sat, 11/08/2008 3:17 PM  |  World

Britain has revoked the visa of Thailand's ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been living in exile in England, Thai media reported Saturday.

A Thai court has convicted Thaksin in absentia of violating a conflict of interest law and sentenced the fugitive former leader to two years in prison. Prosecutors have said they will seek Thaksin's extradition.

Citing an unnamed airline source, the Bangkok Post said the British Embassy in Bangkok sent an e-mail to international airlines on Friday asking them to not allow Thaksin and his wife Potjaman to board flights to the United Kingdom.

The report said Thaksin was traveling in China but that it was unclear if his wife was accompanying him.

The e-mail said the couple's British visas are now invalid, the newspaper reported. The same information was carried in other Thai newspapers Saturday.

Daniel Painter, a spokesman for the British Embassy in Bangkok, said Saturday he could not comment on the visa case.

A spokesman for Thaksin in Bangkok, Phonthep Thepkanjana, could not immediately be contacted by phone.

Britain's Home Office refused to comment late Friday.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.