Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and Pheu Thai Party’s chief adviser on public participation and innovation, said her father will find ways to return to Thailand by himself and he will not need any help from the Pheu Thai Party.
She was speaking as she led the party’s pre-election campaign in the northeastern province of Loei yesterday.
Thaksin has previously said that when he is ready to return home, he will let her daughter announce the date.
“He has not said when he will return home. He has been abroad for several years now. He may be thinking of how to return. I respect his decision as he said he does not want to get the party involved.
“The party and I will focus on election campaigns rather than trying to bring him back to Thailand,” Ms Paetongtarn said.
She also dismissed reports about a deal with the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) to bring Thaksin home.
On Tuesday night, Thaksin appeared in a ClubHouse session in which he allowed his fans to ask whatever they wanted to know.
When asked when he would return home, Thaksin firmly said he would come back soon.
Referring to conditions in which he might make his return, he said he would do so without having to wait for any parties to push for a new amnesty law for him.
Nor would he have to wait for the PPRP and Pheu Thai Party to form a political alliance to help him return home, he said.
Thaksin fled the country in 2008 shortly before being sentenced by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to two years in prison for abusing his power as prime minister by assisting his then-wife, Khunying Potjaman, in the purchase of a prime plot of land at a heavy discount.
“Ung Ing will be the one to announce when I will return to Thailand. No new [amnesty] law for me. No siding with Palang Pracharath either,” said Thaksin.
Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew said during the campaign that the party is ready to announce its three candidates for PM right away if the House of Representatives is dissolved.