BANGKOK, Thailand – Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was briefly detained at Don Mueang Airport on Thursday before being cleared for travel, but a lengthy delay caused him to reroute his flight from Singapore to Dubai. After speculation arose due to unusual flight patterns, Mr. Thaksin took to social media to explain the change of destination.
Flight tracking websites showed Mr. Thaksin’s private jet, a Bombardier Global 7500, departing from Don Mueang at 7:17 PM on Thursday. The flight, initially bound for Singapore, was later observed circling over the Andaman Sea before heading north, sparking speculation that the final destination was Dubai. The aircraft landed in Dubai at approximately 2:40 AM on Friday, Thailand time.
In his social media post, Mr. Thaksin explained that he had intended to go to Singapore for a health check-up. However, he stated he was delayed by immigration authorities at Don Mueang for nearly two hours. He said this delay meant his flight would miss the 8:00 PM closing time for Singapore’s Seletar Airport, which handles private jets.
Faced with the inability to land in Singapore, Mr. Thaksin said he instructed the pilot to change the destination to Dubai, where he has a home and a personal physician. He noted that the pilot had to circle while awaiting landing permission from Dubai’s airport. Mr. Thaksin concluded his post by stating his intention to return to Thailand by September 8th to attend a court hearing scheduled for September 9th. (NNT)
