August 16, 2024
BANGKOK – Srettha Thavisin changed his Facebook profile on Thursday, marking the first step of his new life after being ousted as prime minister by a court ruling.
The country’s former leader changed his photo and removed the designation of 30th prime minister of Thailand from his profile.
The photo of Srettha smiling in a yellow Royal-pattern silk shirt was replaced with a picture of him in a suit, sitting with his pet dog on a stairway in front of his house.
The photo was changed at 8.13am on Thursday, a day after the Constitutional Court removed him for violating ethical standards in appointing Pichit Chuenban, who had served jail time, as a Cabinet minister.
Meanwhile, Srettha’s personal minivan, a black Toyota Alphard, was returned from Government House to Srettha’s residence at 8.15am.
Government House sources said the minivan contained personal belongings from the prime minister’s official vehicle.
At 8.50am, officials from the Government House vehicle division arrived to check Srettha’s official vehicle, a Lexus LM 350h Executive 4-Seater, before driving it back to Ban Phitsanulok, the prime minister’s official residence.
The officials recorded that the vehicle had clocked up 13,063 kilometres since Srettha took office last August.
The PM’s other official vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz, was also parked at Ban Phitsanulok.
Meanwhile the door to the prime minister’s office in the Thai Ku Fah building at Government House was closed on Thursday, with no activity visible.
Laos’ prime minister cancelled his scheduled visit to Government House today, while caretaker prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai was due to hold a meeting of the caretaker Cabinet at 2pm.