Thailand’s former PM flees to Dubai during trial that could see her jailed for 10 years

Several reports from social media suggests that Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has joined her brother Thaksin Shinawatra in Dubai. Some news agencies had earlier claimed that the ex-premiere who is accused of negligence over a scheme to pay rice farmers double the market rate for their crop, has fled her country to Singapore. It now emerges that she fled to Dubai through Cambodia and Singapore.

Ms Shinawatra became the first Prime Minister of her country soon after her brother was ousted. She stands accused of stockpiling huge amounts of rice and damaging the country’s rice exports, leading to allegations of corruption and wasted money. She has pleaded innocent and rejected the charges as politically motivated. She had been due in court on Friday to hear the verdict but failed to appear, prompting the Supreme Court to issue an arrest warrant.

Ms Thaksin’s brother, himself a fugitive from the law, is reported to have visited Singapore on a few occasions. Singapore does not have an extradition treaty with Thailand.

A Canadian who robbed Stanchart bank in Singapore last year, fled to Thailand and Singapore authorities have so far been unsuccessful in having him extradited to Singapore for trial.