A senior police officer has told investigators he was "ordered" to help former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra leave the country, according to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
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Update
Police officer "ordered" to help Yingluck flee
Online reporters
A senior police officer has told investigators he was "ordered" to help former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra leave the country, according to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
He said the man has also given authorities the name of a person behind the great escape, but the deputy prime minster would not divulge it.
Police questioning was led by deputy national chief Pol Gen Sriwara Ransibhahmanakul, who later relayed the results to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
"The deputy commander said he had received an order from another person and gave the name to interrogators," the deputy prime minister said. "The person is in the country but I cannot give you more details," he told reporters.
When asked, Gen Prawit refused to say whether the mastermind was a former Metropolitan Police Bureau chief.
The sedan was one of the vehicles used in the operation and Ms Yingluck fled with her secretary, the deputy prime minister said.
Gen Prawit did not give details about the three police officers under questioning, only saying they work for Provincial Police Region 5 and the Nakhon Pathom Provincial Office.
He also would not say whether the three officers admitted Ms Yingluck made her escape through Sa Kaeo, citing the sensitivity of diplomatic relations.
Earlier story
Three police officers questioned about Yingluck’s escape
Online reporters
Three police officers were interrogated on Thursday night on suspicion of having helped former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra flee the country one month ago.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul led a team of police to question a police colonel who is a deputy commander, an inspector and a police senior sergeant-major.
Police earlier seized a Toyota Camry with licence plate chor khor 5323 believed to have been used to take Ms Yingluck to the border. The vehicle was left near a house in Nakhon Pathom’s Muang district.
A vehicle registration check showed the owner’s name did not match the person who had the car.
The Land Transport Department suspended use of this vehicle in 2012 because the owner did not service the loan. The police found no important documents or evidence inside the car.
The woman whose name appears as the owner of the vehicle will be called for questioning, as a witness, Pol Gen Srivara said.
Questioning of the three police officers was to resume on Friday morning. They had not been charged.
Ms Yingluck is wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions after she failed to show up for the ruling in her rice-pledging case trial on Aug 25. The court confiscated her 30 million baht surety and rescheduled the delivery of its judgement to Sept 27.
