Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Wanted Thai ex-PM visits Suva to meet regime

Posted at 22:36 on 08 July, 2009 UTC

Reports from Fiji say the ousted Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has been in Fiji amid speculation that he is seeking safety in a country with no extradition treaty with Thailand.

The former Thai politician, whose Thai passport has been cancelled, is wanted in Bangkok to answer corruption charges.

Pacnews says he met the interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, on Monday after arriving in his private jet from Dubai via Malaysia where, according to the Bangkok Post, he narrowly escaped arrest.

Thaksin reportedly spent a day in Suva before flying to Tonga yesterday.

There has been no comment from Fiji’s interim government about the outcome of the talks.

Pacnews says there has been a suggestion that Thaksin may have offered a substantial investment in return for a right to add Fiji to the places he can stay.