Thaksin said he will return to the country next week amid speculation that he could flee a possible jail term again
Parliament was set to vote on Friday on a new prime minister to succeed Paetongtarn and install a new government. Many see this as the end of the power that Thaksin’s political machine has wielded for more than two decades. During that time, Thaksin faced prison time in various cases, though he spent no time behind bars.
However, flight-tracking data showed the private jet, a Bombardier BD-700, initially flew south towards Singapore before suddenly turning west, doing two circles and continuing towards India.
Thaksin later posted on social media that he had intended to travel to Singapore for a medical check-up but that Thai immigration held him for nearly two hours. He said his pilot informed him in the air that they would not be able to land at Seletar Airport before its scheduled closing time at 10pm. So Thaksin said he decided to change the course to Dubai instead.
Thaksin lived in Dubai during his self-imposed exile starting in 2008. He wrote in his social media post that he had regular doctors there.
