Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck suspected of fleeing by sea

Officials believe Ms Yingluck left Thailand by sea because it was difficult to cross the land border.

Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Photo: smh

A Thai navy source said former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra did not cross unguarded land borders such as Chanthaburi and Trat because they are mountainous and believed to be mined, according to the Bangkok Post.

"I believe that an important person like Ms. Yingluck would not choose such a path to escape the country," the source said. "She would definitely choose the comfortable way."

Ms. Yingluck, 50 years old, was supposed to appear at the Supreme Court on August 25 to hear the verdict in her trial on charges of negligence related to a rice subsidy program that caused losses of at least $8 billion.

She faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. She did not appear in court and is suspected of fleeing to Cambodia before flying via Singapore to Dubai, where her brother lives in exile.

"Going by sea is both easy to do and hard to attract attention from authorities because there are many boats near those tourist-attracting islands," the source commented.

This assessment is similar to the statement of Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on August 25 that Ms. Yingluck may have left Thailand via Koh Chang island. General Prawit denied that security forces deliberately let her escape.

Location of Koh Chang. Graphic: travel.reperages-thailand.

According to VNE