Surapong Dares Democrats Over Thaksin's Passport
 Surapong Tovichakchaikul has dared the Democrats to have him impeached over the planned return of a Thai passport to Thaksin Shinawatra.
The foreign minister sarcastically suggested the opposition party, headed by ex-premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, file an impeachment bid against him pertaining to the planned return of the ordinary passport to Thaksin, who remains globetrotting since he was ousted in 2006's coup.
''I've followed the same regulations for the issuance or revocation of a passport to a Thai national as the previous Democrat government did. Only the Democrats had charged Thaksin might have jeopardized national security by globetrotting around with his Thai passport, but I've considered he didn't,'' said the Puea Thai Party's foreign minister.
Either with or without a Thai passport, Thaksin has been traveling freely around the globe, given Montenegro's and Nicaragua's passports.
Surapong shrugged off criticisms made by the Democrats he might be sued on duty-negligence charges and faced with possibilities of being impeached by law if the deposed premier's revoked passport was ever given back to him.
According to the foreign minister, Thaksin may apply for the return of his ordinary Thai passport, and not a VIP one, from any Thai embassy or consular office overseas.
Nevertheless, Surapong said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was by no means involved in the issue about which, he said, he had made a decision of his own.
Yingluck earlier said no rules of law or government regulations will be compromised for the sake of any effort to bring her brother home.
She also remarked all people will be treated equally under the established rules of law and justice will be served indiscriminately.
Thaksin earlier commented he will not return home following a five-years time in overseas exile until, he said, ''national reconciliation'' efforts have borne fruit among the opposing sides of society.
Produced by VoiceTV |
