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Associated Press

Thai premier Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday denied media reports his government helped former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra flee the country before the verdict in her trial over a controversial rice subsidy scheme.
Prayut said he did not allow Yingluck to escape to avoid any political tension that may have arisen in the event she was sentenced to prison.
“I am not crazy to do that. Please have confidence in me,” Prayut said in Chonburi province, eastern Thailand, where he attended a military function. The Thai junta leader also said they are looking for Yingluck.

Thailand’s Shinawatra era is over, but questions remain about junta’s role in aiding Yingluck’s flight from the law
Yingluck, 50, failed to appear for the verdict on Friday morning, prompting the Supreme Court to issue an arrest warrant. The court has set a new sentencing date for September 27. She faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said separately he had no idea that Yingluck fled and the move was unexpected because the former leader had insisted she would appear in court on Friday.
He stressed that authorities closely monitored Yingluck’s whereabouts, but it was unclear how she was able to escape.
Sources in her Pheu Thai Party said Yingluck fled to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The date of her departure remains unclear.

Former leader Yingluck has fled Thailand after skipping court hearing, says party source
Yingluck is the younger sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and fled abroad to avoid a corruption conviction. He still lives in exile, using Dubai as a base, leading to speculation Yingluck has joined him there.
During the trial, she denied charges of criminal negligence in connection with her government’s rice subsidy scheme, which resulted in losses of about 500 billion baht (US$15 billion) for the country.
The government confirmed last month it had temporarily frozen her assets.
Yingluck was ousted from office by the Constitutional Court over an abuse-of-power case, just days ahead of the military coup led by Prayut, then head of the army, in May 2014 that overthrew the Pheu Thai-led government.


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Yingluck Shinawatra

‘I am not crazy’: Thai PM denies paving way for former leader Yingluck to flee before verdict

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha insisted he did not help former leader Yingluck Shinawatra to flee the country. Photo: EPA

epaselect epa06161373 A supporter holds a photograph of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she failed to appear to hear her verdict at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions in Bangkok, Thailand, 25 August 2017. The Thai court issued an arrest warrant for Yingluck after she failed to appear in court for her verdict and set the new verdict date for 27 September 2017 in which she stands accused on charges of criminal negligence to stop corruption in her government's controversial rice-pledging scheme. Yingluck, who was overthrown in a 2014 military coup, will face up to 10 years in prison if the court finds her guilty. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT

epa06161265 (FILE) - Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (R) performs the traditional Thai greeting as she arrives for her trial on criminal charges stemming from her government's rice price subsidy, at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, in Bangkok, Thailand, 29 June 2017 (reissued 25 August 2017). The Thai court issued an arrest warrant for Yingluck after she failed to appear in court for her verdict and set the new verdict date for 27 September 2017. Yingluck faces a penalty from the ruling junta that she personally pays 35 billion baht (approximately 991 million US dollar) as a civil damage fine, and up to 10 years in prison if convicted on charges of criminal negligence over her government's rice pledging scheme. The rice subsidy plan was a key policy promoted during Yingluck Shinawatra's Pheu Thai party's 2011 electoral campaign. EPA/NARONG SANGNAK

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Prayut said he did not allow Yingluck to escape to avoid any political tension that may have arisen in the event she was sentenced to prison.
