Police: Yingluck in UK, Interpol red notice sought

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra waves to supporters while leaving the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions in Bangkok after the last round of witness hearings on her rice scheme case on Sept 27. (Photo by Patipat Janthong)

Police confirmed on Tuesday former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was in Britain and a red notice for her arrest was being sought from Interpol.

Deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said on Tuesday that he already signed a request for an Interpol red notice and was being sent to Interpol through the foreign affairs division of the Royal Thai Police. A red notice is similar to an international arrest warrant.

Pol Gen Srivara said in seeking the red notice he reasoned that Yingluck was wanted under an arrest warrant. Whether it would be issued depends on the decision of Interpol, he said.

The deputy national police chief said the red notice could be sought when the police knew the whereabouts of Yingluck and after the United Arab Emirates confirmed that Yingluck had left Dubai for Britain, they took action

He also said that Britain and Thailand had their extradition treaty and public prosecutors would handle the matter.

Yingluck allegedly disappeared on Aug 23. The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions was originally scheduled on Aug 25 to deliver its ruling on her loss-ridden rice-pledging case.

Her absence caused the court to postpone the announcement to Sept 27, when it handed down a five-year jail term for her failure to stop fake and corrupt government-to-government sales of rice from the rice programme even though she had been aware of the irregularities.

Investigation into those who helped her flee was underway.