Yingluck Shinawatra denies speeding up pardon process for Thaksin

BANGKOK, 5 September 2011 (NNT) – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has denied speeding up the process concerning the royal pardon petition for her brother ex-Prime Minister Police Lieutenant Colonel Thaksin Shinawatra, which has been submitted by the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).

Speaking about the UDD’s movement asking for a progress in the handling of the petition, Ms Yingluck responded that her government would not do anything to speed up the operation and would let everything flow according to the procedures to be taken by related units.

The prime minister said this issue was left from the previous administration, but she personally had not yet looked into its details. Asked if the ex-prime minister must serve his prison term before asking for pardon or not, she said it was better to let related units consider this issue.

Regarding the controversial removal of National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Tawin Pleansri, Ms Yingluck noted that her deputy Kowit Wattana, who is in charge of the NSC, was dealing with the issue because she was very busy herself.

Read more: NNT