MP: Thaksin will return

Writer: BangkokPost.com
Published: 16/07/2009 at 01:17 PM

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would return to Thailand to fight all legal cases, run for election in Chiang Mai province and take the leadership post of the Puea Thai Party, a Chiang Mai MP claimed on Thursday.

Surapong Towichakchaikul said Thaksin told him this during his recent visit to see the fugive former prime minister in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

The MP said Thaksin had formerly said he would wash his hands of politics but had changed his mind because the people wanted him to return to solve the country's problems.

He said Thaksin would certainly return, but not this year.

If Thaksin came back before an election was called, Mr Surapong said he would resign to make way for him to run in a by-election in Chiang Mai.

Mr Surapong said the parliamentary committee on national reconciliation, political reform and constitutional amendment was only a government tactic to buy time.

He did not believe recommendations made by the committee would bring about conciliation in society.