‘Yingluck ditched phones before escape’

BANGKOK: Fugitive former premier Yingluck Shinawatra discarded her mobile phones and stopped travelling in her usual vehicles in the days before last week's dramatic escape, Thailand's army chief said Tuesday, as her party vowed to fight on, reports AFP.

Yingluck, whose government was toppled by the military in 2014, staged a disappearing act before a scheduled court judgement last Friday in a criminal negligence trial.

She faced up to ten years in prison and a lifetime ban from politics if convicted. But instead she was a no-show, with junta and party sources saying she had fled abroad.

Thailand's junta has come under fire from some conservative allies over Yingluck's disappearance, with many questioning how the authoritarian regime could have let her flee given that she was heavily monitored.

Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisad gave a lengthy defence on Tuesday, which offered insights into how military intelligence kept track of Yingluck and how she might have slipped the net.

But Chalermchai said officers had recently been withdrawn from guarding the front of her Bangkok house.

Yingluck ditched phones before escape

BANGKOK: Fugitive former premier Yingluck Shinawatra discarded her mobile phones and stopped travelling in her usual vehicles in the days before last weeks dramatic escape, Thailands army chief said Tuesday, as her party vowed to fight on, reports AFP. Yingluck, whose government was toppled by the military in 2014, staged a disappearing act before a scheduled court judgement last Friday in a criminal negligence trial. She faced up to ten years in prison and a lifetime ban from politics if convicted. But instead she was a no-show, with junta and party sources saying she had fled abroad. Thailands junta has come under fire from some conservative allies over Yinglucks disappearance, with many questioning how the authoritarian regime could have let her flee given that she was heavily monitored. Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisad gave a lengthy defence on Tuesday, which offered insights into how military intelligence kept track of Yingluck and how she might have slipped the net. But Chalermchai said officers had recently been withdrawn from guarding the front of her Bangkok house.