Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat said Sunday he was confident Myanmar authorities would provide security for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his visit near the Thai-Myanmar border this month.
"There is nothing to worry about. I believe for someone like former prime minister Thaksin, he must have planned [his trip to Myanmar] well and [must have been] confident before coming, because he has come close to death and survived several assassination attempts,” said ACM Sukumpol, who is Thaksin’s classmate of Class 10 at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.
"I am confident that Myanmar will handle it well, with their military and police officers. Do not worry too much.”
Thaksin’s trip to the Myanmar border town of Tachilek has been carefully planned and military officers on the Thai sides have nothing to do with his visit because Thaksin will not cross the border into Thailand, he said.
Asked about media reports that he would travel to Tachilek to oversee safety for Thaksin’s stay, ACM Sukumpol said he would tell the press later whether he will go when Thaksin’s visit draws nearer.
An army source, who declined to be named, said all eyes will be on whether Thaksin will dare to show up at the Tachilek border market, opposite Thailand's Chiang Rai province, on Friday and Saturday because it was likely to be difficult for his security team to protect him, especially from a sniper attack.
The area is home to minority groups and illegal drug cartels and the army knows the place best, he said.
"Anyone wanting to assassinate him can blame minority groups or drug gangs for getting revenging on him because of the alleged extrajudicial killing of about 2,500 people during the Thaksin Shinawatra government's war on drugs in 2003 or blame the ammart (elite)"
Therefore, Thaksin may need to stay farther inland and not go near the border. His red-shirt supporters will also have to travel farther to meet him. Thaksin’s security team will have to examine the visitors to ensure there are no ill-intentioned people posing as supporters, the source said.
"He might not come and the schedule may be changed at the last minute,” he said.
The defence minister said Thaksin would stay at the Regina Hotel & Golf Club in Tachilek, which is located farther from the border line. He would not come near the border market or the Mae Sai-Tachilek Friendship Bridge, he said, adding security measures are hard to prepare and implement in the area.
Thaksin is scheduled to visit Myanmar's Tachilek township in the second week of November, his legal adviser Noppadon Pattama confirmed on Thursday.
Thaksin plans to stay in Tachilek for a few days to make merit and meet with his red-shirt supporters and Pheu Thai MPs, Mr Noppadon said.