The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra a new passport to replace the one seized by the previous authorities. The Nation reported this on Friday, December 16, with reference to the head of the Thai Foreign Ministry, Surapong Tohvichakchaikul.

According to Tohvichakchaikul, Shinawatra does not pose a threat to the security of Thailand and can return to the country from the UAE, where he has lived for the past few years.

Shinawatra's previous Thai passport was declared invalid in April 2009 by order of then Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya. The authorities made the decision to issue the ex-prime minister a new passport after Shinawatra sent a corresponding application to the Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi. As the Bangkok Post notes, the ex-prime minister received a passport on October 31, 2011.

At the same time, the publication cites the words of a representative of the opposition Democratic Party of Thailand, who claims that the head of the Foreign Ministry did not have the right to issue Thaksin Shinawatra a new passport and, therefore, violated the law. Surapong Tohvichakchaikul himself, according to the Bangkok Post, stated that his decision was within the scope of his authority and the passport would be a good “New Year’s gift” for the ex-prime minister who left the country in 2006.

The return of Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled from Thailand from criminal prosecution by the Democratic Party that came to power, became possible thanks to the election of his sister Yingluck Shinawatra to the post of Prime Minister in August 2011 .

With the coming to power of the Phua Thai party led by Shinawatra, Thailand began a gradual liberalization of the laws adopted after the overthrow of Thaksin Shinawatra. In particular, the country is expected to hold an amnesty for supporters of the ex-prime minister accused of terrorism for organizing mass demonstrations against the Democratic Party that came to power.

Fugitive ex-Prime Minister of Thailand allowed to return home