FORMER prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former agriculture and cooperatives minister Thammanat Prompao quietly travelled Koh Lipe island on a fleet of six yachts and were rumoured to have met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on a yacht sailing in the middle of sea, Amarin TV said this morning (Dec. 27).
The fleet of yachts arrived at Koh Lipe, approximately 33 nautical miles (62km) from Malaysia’s Langkawi island, around 5 p.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 25) without anyone knowing Thaksin and Thammanat were there with the islanders thinking a group of tourists had come for a holiday.
They only found out Thaksin and Thammanat were visiting when they came ashore yesterday morning (Dec. 26) to have breakfast at Bulow Casa Grand View Resort and Spa from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Welcoming them were Mr. Mukta Boo-iad, president of the Koh Lipe Business Association and owner of the hotel, along with Mr. Nitit Sitaruno, Koh Sarai subdistrict chief, and Pol. Lt. Col. Sujit Piriya, the chief of Koh Lipe police station.
They sailed back to Phuket at 11.15 a.m.
It was earlier reported that Thaksin would be holding a meeting with Anwar Ibrahim at Langkawi island yesterday with talks being held under the consensus framework of Joint Comprehensive Plan Toward Peace, a draft road map earlier agreed in principle with the insurgent group Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN).
Earlier this month Anwar Ibrahim had appointed Thaksin, de facto boss of Pheu Thai Party, his personal adviser for when he becomes chair of Southeast Asia’s regional bloc next year.
CAPTION:
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former agriculture and cooperatives minister Thammanat Prompao at Koh Lipe yesterday, Dec. 26, 2024. Photos: Amarin TV
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