Sri Lanka’s ousted president seeking entry to Thailand after weeks in Singapore

More than 8 months sooner than an financial disaster and mass protests precipitated him to flee Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa offered his nationwide remark right through the World Leaders’ Summit on the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain November 1, 2021. Andy Buchanan/Pool by way of REUTERS/File Photo

BANGKOK, Aug 10 (Reuters) – Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has asked entry into Thailand for a short lived keep in a 2d Southeast Asian nation after fleeing his island country closing month amid mass protests, the Thai overseas ministry stated on Wednesday.

Rajapaksa fled to Singapore on July 14 following extraordinary unrest brought about by means of Sri Lanka’s worst financial disaster in seven many years, and days after 1000’s of protesters stormed the president’s respectable place of abode and workplace. learn extra

The retired army officer then resigned from the presidency, turning into the primary Sri Lankan head of state to give up mid-term.

Rajapaksa is predicted to depart Singapore and head to Thailand’s capital Bangkok on Thursday, two assets stated, asking now not to be named. Sri Lanka’s overseas ministry didn’t right away reply to requests for remark.

Tanee Sangrat, a Thai overseas ministry spokesman, stated Rajapaksa holds a diplomatic passport that permits him entry into the rustic for 90 days. He didn’t say when Rajapaksa meant to discuss with. learn extra

“The entry to Thailand by the former president of Sri Lanka is for a temporary stay,” Sangrat stated.

“The Sri Lankan side informs us that the former president has no intention for political asylum in Thailand and will travel to another country afterwards.”

Rajapaksa has made no public appearances or feedback since leaving Sri Lanka, and Reuters was once not able to right away touch him.

Singapore’s executive stated this month that town state had now not accorded him any privileges or immunity. learn extra

A member of the influential Rajapaksa circle of relatives, the 73-year-old served in the Sri Lankan army and later as defence secretary.

During his time as defence secretary, executive forces in the end defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009 to finish a bloody civil battle. Some rights teams now need accusations that Rajapaksa dedicated battle crimes to be investigated. Rajapaksa has up to now strenuously denied the allegations. learn extra

Some critics and protesters additionally accuse Rajapaksa and his circle of relatives of mishandling the economic system right through his time period as president, main to the South Asian nation’s worst monetary disaster since independence from Britain in 1948.

His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a former president and high minister. Their more youthful sibling, Basil Rajapaksa, served as finance minister till previous this yr.

Rajapaksa’s successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has advised that the previous president must chorus from returning to Sri Lanka in the close to long term.

“I don’t believe it’s the time for him to return,” Wickremesinghe instructed the Wall Street Journal in an interview on July 31. “I have no indication of him returning soon.”

If Rajapaksa got here again to Sri Lanka, he is probably not safe beneath regulation if any fees had been filed in opposition to him, criminal mavens have stated. learn extra

Reporting by means of Panu Wongcha-um and Uditha Jayasinghe, writing by means of Devjyot Ghoshal, enhancing by means of Raju Gopalakrishnan, Simon Cameron-Moore and Mark Heinrich

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.