Paetongtarn also says ready to step up and be prime minister
Paetongtarn Shinawatra reaffirmed on Wednesday her father Thaksin’s determination to return to Thailand next month.
She also said she was ready to be the next prime minister if Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat could not be.
Ms Paetongtarn said at Pheu Thai Party headquarters that the last time she spoke to her father, he was still determined to return next month as he had promised.
She rejected speculation that her mother Khunying Potjaman Na Pombejra and other members of the family did not want Thaksin to come back next month. They did not oppose his return but were worried about the possible consequences, Ms Paetongtarn said.
“He said he was looking at the (political) situation. He does not want his return to cause unrest. Of course, father has political significance. So, his return must be based on suitability… political suitability,” she said.
Ms Paetongtarn said that Thaksin had been out of the country for 17 years and he had often wanted to return, especially since the birth of his seventh grandchild, her new son.
While confirming Thaksin would return next month, Ms Paetongtarn said he would decide the arrival date himself. Thaksin’s 76th birthday is July 26.
Reporters also asked if Ms Paetongtarn was pprepared to be the next prime minister in the event Mr Pita could not take up the job.
She replied that she would not be one of Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidates if she was not ready for the position.
Mr Pita’s Move Forward Party won the May 14 general election with 151 House seats, while Pheu Thai won 141. It was the first loss Pheu Thai suffered in a general election since the original party was founded under a different name about two decades ago.
Move Forward and Pheu Thai agreed with six other parties to form the next government, headed by Mr Pita. However, he faces challenges about his eligibility to be an MP and to be prime minister.
Thaksin was overthrown by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006, while overseas. He has since lived in self-imposed exile, except for a brief visit to Thailand in 2008. There are 18 recordings of him talking about returning over that time.
The first was on March 30, 2009, when he addressed red-shirt protesters outside Government House by televideo conference. “As soon as the first shot is fired at people, I’ll lead you to Bangkok,” he said.
Three years later, during a phone-in to greet red-shirt supporters at a gathering in Surin he told them, “If I come home, I’ll have to come back cool. And I’ll let you know later how to come back cool.”
The rest of Thaksin’s homecoming comments were made from 2021 to this May.
Thaksin was sentenced in absentia by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to 12 years in prison in four graft cases. He risks arrest as soon as he arrives within Thai jurisdiction.