The Deputy Prime Minister refused to confirm the date despite a joint statement by the US and Thailand citing “free and fair elections in 2018”.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha informed US President Donald Trump during their meeting at the White House that he would announce the election date next year.

Prawit said what the PM meant was that he would announce the date next year with a condition that the election would take place after the completion of the laws and the countdown of election-preparation days.

“It’s not that he said the election will be held next year,” said Prawit. “When the election date will be is up to the completion of the organic laws.”

Two of these laws have been promulgated – the Election Commission and the political parties laws – while the other two, concerning senators and the election of MPs, are still going through the drafting and deliberation process. Once this is completed, there will be another 150 days for preparation by the Election Commission before the election can take place.

The statement said President Trump welcomed the commitment to the roadmap, which upon implementation of relevant organic laws as stipulated in the Constitution, would lead to free and fair elections in 2018.

General Prayut had assured Trump during their meeting at the White House on Tuesday that an election date would be announced next year, with the election to follow within 150 days, as stipulated in the charter.

Prayut said he raised the subject without prompting from Trump.

The Thai premier led a delegation to Washington that included Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and top-level economic officials. They are spending three days in the US and meeting other senior state and business officials.

Tuesday’s meeting between Prayut and Trump in the Oval Office signalled the revitalisation of Thai-US relations following a chilled period resulting from the 2014 coup led by Prayut.

The US visit also saw several new deals announced.

PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday visited US President Donald Trump at the White House, marking revitalised relations between Thailand and the US and the announcement of several new deals.

While Thailand has focused on a Boeing investment to boost the Eastern Economic Corridor, the US looks forward to Thai investments in the gas and coal sectors, the opening of its domestic pork market and military purchases.

Prayut is leading a Thai delegation including Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and top-level economic officials in a three-day visit to the US to meet with Trump, other senior US officials and the business community.

The two leaders and their spouses met at the Oval Office at noon on Monday (1am yesterday Thailand time). While both leaders underlined cooperation in regional security, trade and investment, Trump made clear that the US was looking to improve its trade deficit with Thailand.

“It’s [Thailand’s] a great country to trade with. They make products and different things that are really very important to us, and we likewise sell to you,” Trump was quoted as saying.

“I think we’re going to try and sell a little bit more to you now, make that a little bit better, if that’s possible,” the president said.

Thailand ranks 11th among 16 countries on a watch list held by the Trump administration due to its significant trade surplus relative to the US. In the first half of 2017, the US trade balance with Thailand was negative US$11.45 billion (Bt382.7 billion), according to the US Census Bureau.

While trade rebalancing is part of Trump’s much-vaunted America First policy, the Kingdom is certain that its “Thailand 4.0” policy is in line with the US policy.

“Both of the policies target people of lower income and aim for the better wellbeing of people,” said Deputy Spokesperson Lt-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak.

Prayut encouraged the US to be more open to Thai agricultural goods and facilitate Thai investors, whose $5.6 billion investment should help create more than 8,000 jobs in the US, Werachon said.

Prayut and Trump also witnessed the signing of an agreement between Thailand’s PTTGC America LLC and JobsOhio on the development of areas in Belmont County, where Thai-owned petrochemical factories are located.

Meanwhile, on regional issues, Prayut assured Trump that Thailand would support efforts for North Korea to engage in dialogue as well as follow UN Security Council resolutions.

The US has sought likeminded partners in East and Southeast Asian regions to cope with rising tensions in the Korean peninsula. In July, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Bangkok was reported by AFP as the US pressuring Thailand to ban state-run North Korean restaurants in the Kingdom as well as lessen diplomatic ties with North Korea.

On the escalating crisis in Rakhine state in Myanmar, Prayut said: “Thailand and the US will cooperate for humanitarian assistance.”

While giving financial assistance to alleviate the conflict, Thailand, like many Asean countries, regards the Rohingya conflict as Myanmar’s domestic issue. Prayut’s administration also recognises the Muslim minority as “Bengali”, a term used by the Myanmar government that infers that Rohingya are not citizens of that country.

In Bangkok, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan said Thailand had plans to purchase helicopters from the US in deals that had been derailed by the 2014 coup.

But Prawit added that Prayut had not talked about military hardware purchases.

Regarding the development of democracy in Thailand, Prayut assured Trump that the election date would be announced next year, adding that a general election should be held 150 days after the announcement as stipulated by the current charter.

Prayut said he raised the issue of the election on his own without prompting by Trump.

Deputy national police chief Pol General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said yesterday the United Arab Emirates had notified Thai authorities that Yingluck had left Dubai for London.

However, Srivara did not say when the information was provided.

He said Thailand and the United Kingdom had an extradition treaty, but prosecutors were responsible to seek extradition.

“Police have fulfilled their responsibility and informed the Attorney-General [about Yingluck’s whereabouts],” Srivara said.

Deputy national police spokesman Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen told The Nation that police had requested that Interpol issue a blue notice for Yingluck first in order to locate her, before applying for the red notice, which would require police in other countries to arrest her.

The request was sent last Wednesday, when the Supreme Court sentenced Yingluck in absentia to five years in jail. However, there had not been a response from the international agency, he said.

The most recent Thai fugitive subject to a red notice was Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, the heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune, who has been charged over a car crash that killed a Bangkok policeman five years ago.

The colour-coded notices are international alerts used by police to communicate information about crimes, criminals and threats around the world. They are circulated to all 192 member countries at the request of a country or authorised international entity. The information disseminated via the notices concerns individuals wanted for serious crimes, missing persons, unidentified bodies, possible threats, prison escapes and criminals’ modus operandi.

A blue notice would prompt Interpol members to help locate, identify or obtain information about Yingluck and her whereabouts. It is separate from a red notice, which is basically an international arrest warrant.

Srivara said he had told Interpol authorities in Bangkok to apply for the red notice, given that Yingluck was a wanted convict. They would proceed with the application, he said, but eventually it was up to Interpol headquarters to determine whether to issue a notice.

Yingluck fled the country in late August, just days before the Supreme Court was due to deliver a verdict on her alleged negligence in preventing corruption and irregularities in the implementation of her government’s rice-pledging scheme.

Since then, she has not been seen in public, and her relatives in Thailand have remained silent regarding her whereabouts.

The court last week sentenced her in absentia to five years in prison.

After the verdict was read, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said Yingluck was in Dubai. However, he was contradicted by foreign media reports that she was seeking political asylum in London.

He said the court’s security controls were up to standard and there had been no leakage of information or the verdict itself ahead of the ruling, as some had speculated in recent days.

On September 27, news about Yingluck having been sentenced to five years in jail was reported before the court delivered its ruling in the case, prompting heightened speculation about a leak.

Sarawut said the courtroom had also cut telephone signals, so he had no idea how some media outlets had got hold of any such news to report.

It may have been their own speculation about the verdict before the court had even ruled, he suggested.

Primarily, they had not committed contempt of court, and there was therefore no need to invite any media outlets for inquiries, the official said.

Contempt of court, he stressed, would constitute any reporting that somehow influenced the court’s ruling.

However, he urged the media to be more mindful next time, as there was no any guarantee either that such advance reports were not in violation of the law.

Lawyer Chumsai Sriyapai said the now-defunct Asset Examination Committee had accused Panthongtae of receiving ill-gotten money, but the statute of limitations had already expired after a 10-year period.

Chumsai added that his client had never been charged with money laundering concerning state-owned Krungthai Bank’s multi-billion-baht fraudulent loans extended to Krisada Mahanakorn Group.

The loans were backed by highly-inflated collateral resulting in a massive financial damage to Krungthai Bank in 2005 while Thaksin was prime minister.

Panthongtae earlier petitioned the DSI to also investigate another 150 people and organisations that had also received ill-gotten funds from Krisada Mahanakorn Group.

Chumsai said his client had earlier faced only one charge of receiving Bt10 million in ill-gotten funds from Krisada Mahanakorn as there was no evidence about money laundering. It was unusual for the DSI to pursue a money-laundering case at this time, he added.

He said Panthongtae would be ready to meet DSI investigators on October 24 if the agency insisted that he prove his innocence

Money-laundering charges have a statute of limitations of 15 years, which means the case can still be prosecuted.

However, Srivara did not say when the information was provided.

He said the Thailand and the United Kingdom have an extradition treaty, but to seek extradition was the responsibility of prosecutors.

“Police had done their responsible part and informed the Attorney-General [about Yingluck’s whereabouts],” Srivara said.

Yingluck fled the country in August, just days before the Supreme Court was due to issue a verdict on her alleged negligence in preventing corruption and irregularities in the implementation of her government’s rice-pledging scheme.

Since then, she has not been seen in public, and her relatives in Thailand have remained silent regarding her whereabouts.

The court last week sentenced her in absentia to five years in prison.

After the verdict was read, Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha revealed that Yingluck was in Dubai. However, he was contradicted by foreign media reports that she was in London.

Prawit, who chaired the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, said the election date depended on the completion of the four organic laws necessary for it to be held.

Two of these laws have been promulgated – the Election Commission and the political parties laws – while the other two, concerning senators and the election of MPs, are still going through the drafting and deliberation process.

Once this is completed, there would be another 150 days for preparation by the Election Commission before the election could take place, Prawit said.

Asked whether the election would take place immediately after the designated 150 election-preparation days, Prawit just said it would follow the road map, which meant is would happen after the completion of the organic laws, after which political parties would be allowed to conduct political activities.

Funeral rites will be held at Wat Phra Sri Mahatat in Bang Khen, Bangkok, family members said.

The body will then be taken to Sang Khom district in his home province in preparation for cremation in December.

Somkid led the Seri Prachathippatai Party into the 1969 polls and became its only member elected as a member of parliament.

From 1975 to 1986 he chaired a committee charged with constitutional reform.

He also served one term as senator for Udon Thani.

Pheu Thai legal team member Ruangkrai Leekitwattana said that the Cabinet’s appointment of the judges – one to the police reform committee and the other to the Council of the State – may violate the legal procedure against political office holders in criminal cases, Article 157 of the Criminal Code for negligence of duty, as well as the law governing the NACC itself.

The legal procedure law, in particular, has articles that bar the Cabinet from endorsing such appointments, and preventing judges from working outside the Supreme Court, he said.

Ruangkrai also cited the Criminal Code’s Article 157 and the anti-corruption bill’s Article 123/1, both of which sanction officers who wrongfully neglect their duties and cause damages to any party.

The penalties are one to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of between Bt20,000 and Bt200,000, or both.

Both laws were also used against Yingluck, who last week was eventually sentenced in absentia to five years in jail in the criminal negligence case against her.Pheu Thai seeks NACC probe into PM, Cabinet for

appointing Yingluck-case judges to posts outside court

The Nation

The Pheu Thai Party’s legal team on Monday petitioned the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate whether Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and his Cabinet members had violated laws by appointing two of the Supreme Court judges who had ruled in the case against ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra to positions outside the court.

Pheu Thai legal team member Ruangkrai Leekitwattana said that the Cabinet’s appointment of the judges – one to the police reform committee and the other to the Council of the State – may violate the legal procedure against political office holders in criminal cases, Article 157 of the Criminal Code for negligence of duty, as well as the law governing the NACC itself.

The legal procedure law, in particular, has articles that bar the Cabinet from endorsing such appointments, and preventing judges from working outside the Supreme Court, he said.

Ruangkrai also cited the Criminal Code’s Article 157 and the anti-corruption bill’s Article 123/1, both of which sanction officers who wrongfully neglect their duties and cause damages to any party.

The penalties are one to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of between Bt20,000 and Bt200,000, or both.

Both laws were also used against Yingluck, who last week was eventually sentenced in absentia to five years in jail in the criminal negligence case against her.