Former Thai PM to seek asylum in UK
Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who skipped bail last week and flew to London, plans to seek political asylum in Britain.
His lawyer Watchara Saengprathum said: "He is in the process of seeking asylum in Britain."
Mr Watchara did not specify what reason Thaksin would use for his asylum request, but he said a breach of his rights or liberty or threat to personal security could be used.
The Supreme Court issued arrest warrants for Thaksin and his wife, Potjaman, and seized more than £207,000 in bail bonds after he failed to appear in a corruption case last week.
Around 10,000 anti-Thaksin protesters marched to the British embassy in Bangkok on Tuesday to demand that London return the exiled politician.
Some waved oversized police arrest warrants for Thaksin and Potjaman and chanted "Thaksin, go to jail".
Mr Watchara said Thaksin had asked his Thai lawyers to file criminal and civil lawsuits against the opposition group for defaming him and his wife and fabricating official documents.
© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
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