The government insists that it had obtained information that former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was in London before foreign media reported it, spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.
He made the remarks in what is seen as a face-saving gesture after the government came under heavy criticism after foreign media reported late on Thursday that Yingluck was in London, not in Dubai as suggested by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha earlier on the same day.
Lt Gen Sansern said the Foreign Ministry had obtained unofficial information that Yingluck would leave for England and it is her personal matter to seek political asylum.
"The prime minister does not attach importance to the issue of asylum seeking. The government is duty-bound to track down offenders and bring them to justice. The process involves both Thai and international laws," Lt Gen Sansern said.
CNN reported that Yingluck was in London seeking political asylum. The US-based news outlet, quoting a source in the Pheu Thai Party, said she had left Dubai for London two weeks ago and was there to seek political asylum, confirming a Reuters report on Thursday that she had left Dubai for London on Sept 11.
A diplomatic source told the Bangkok Post that Yingluck is now in London.
Despite her previous assurances she would not flee, Yingluck escaped shortly before Aug 25 when the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions was originally scheduled to deliver the ruling on her government's loss-ridden rice pledging case.
The court postponed the ruling to last Wednesday when it handed her a five-year jail term in absentia for her failure to stop graft in her administration's government-to-government rice stock sales.
A prosecution source explained that those seeking political asylum can do so any time as it is a personal matter and the asylum process has nothing to do with authorities of their home country.
They must apply for asylum in the country where they want to stay and cannot cite relations between their home country and the country where they file for asylum to support an asylum claim, the source said.
The source said the destination country has full power to consider whether to grant asylum and it often must take into account the impact its decision will have on relations with the person's home country.
The country of origin generally does not provide details of the present status of an asylum seeker because doing so means opposing the asylum request and this could put bilateral relations at risk.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Busadee Santipitaks yesterday said the ministry has received the Royal Thai Police's request asking it to revoke Yingluck's passport. Steps will be taken to proceed with the cancellation under ministerial regulations.
A highly placed source at the Royal Thai Police said that Yingluck can apply for asylum in any country where she wants to seek shelter, such as the United Arab Emirates, Britain or the US.
Regarding the process to bring Yingluck back to Thailand, the source said there are several channels to find her, including diplomatic ones, though seeking help from Interpol should be "a potent weapon" in locating her as an international alert would be issued to its 192 member countries.
For the extradition of Yingluck, the source said the first step is to locate her whereabouts, while prosecutors must start extradition proceedings immediately when her whereabouts is confirmed.
The process will be swift if the country where she seeks shelter has an extradition treaty with Thailand, the source added.
However, Thailand has extradition treaties with only 15 countries. If countries do not have such treaties with Thailand, Thailand still can ask them to send Yingluck back and Thailand would be expected to give similar help if requested.
Deputy Democrat Party spokesman Rames Rattanachaweng yesterday said the case against Yingluck was not a political one but was a normal criminal case that should not justify political asylum.
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