A police panel is expected to recommend that deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra be stripped of his police rank of lieutenant colonel for fleeing a criminal trial.
Pol Gen Chaiya Siri-ampankul, an adviser to the Royal Thai Police (RTP), who chairs the police committee appointed to consider Thaksin's case, said there is clear evidence that Thaksin is a criminal fugitive, one of the six criteria for stripping a former police officer of his rank.
The move comes hot on the heels of a decision by the Foreign Ministry to revoke his two Thai passports and a lese majeste probe, apparently over his interview in Seoul last Wednesday with Chosun Ilbo newspaper, when he claimed privy councillors supported the May 22 coup last year that ousted his sister Yingluck's government.
Asked if he would confirm the decision to revoke Thaksin's rank, he said the issue would be addressed by the national police chief.
Pol Gen Chaiya said his committee needs a little time to review its findings and related documents, assuring that the police action is in line with force regulations governing the stripping of ranks.
A warrant for Thaksin's arrest was issued after he and his wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra failed to honour bail conditions. They were allowed to travel to Beijing, where they attended the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games. Later the court sentenced Thaksin to two years in prison for abuse of authority for helping Khunying Potjaman purchase a plot of land at a discounted price.
According to Pol Gen Chaiya, his committee was set up on May 1 this year by national police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang after the Office of the Ombudsman sent a petition to the RTP in early August last year demanding the police force consider if Thaksin's rank should be revoked.
Based on the Office of the Ombudsman's petition, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders issued a warrant for Thaksin's arrest in five criminal cases.
Wanchai Rujanawong, spokesman for the Office of the Attorney-General, said Thursday prosecutors have received a report on the lese majeste accusation against Thaksin from the police.
He said the alleged wrongdoing had been committed overseas so the case needs to be reviewed by Attorney-General Trakul Winitnaiyapak. However, the case has yet to be forwarded to Mr Trakul for him to consider.
Army chief-of-staff Chatchalerm Chalermsuk said the lese majeste law is not being used as a political tool. He was responding to a comment about the army assigning the Judge Advocate-General to lodge a lese majeste complaint against Thaksin for his remarks made in Seoul.
He said police are reviewing the evidence and, if there are grounds to the allegation, the former premier will be prosecuted.
"We never use Section 112 [the lese majeste law] as a political tool. I once told the foreign press that it is similar to the defamation law. We, as state officials, are obliged to protect the institution [monarchy] if false accusations are made against it," he said.
- PM's warning: Thaksin's mouth could cause trouble
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thursday the interim government did not initiate the lese majeste complaint against Thaksin, noting that members of the public filed the charge with police.
He also said the government has nothing to do with the proposed stripping of Thaksin's rank and the revocation of the two passports.
He said if the relevant agencies agree there are grounds to take action, they should proceed.
Gen Prayut, also chief of the National Council for Peace and Order, said he can invoke his power granted by the interim charter to strip Thaksin of his police rank but would rather not.
He said he had never discussed legal issues with Thaksin or his sister, Ms Yingluck.
"As for Thaksin, I am not in a position to do anything. I am a state official. People who are accused of breaking the law should go through the criminal justice system. It would have ended long ago if he had returned to fight the charges," he said.
Pheu Thai members said the latest actions against Thaksin were nothing new and were an attempt by political rivals to use the monarchy to destroy the former premier.
Pheu Thai's Worachai Hema said the move would not affect Thaksin but would widen the political divide.