Gotabaya advised not to leave hotel in Bangkok

(Bangkok Post); Ousted former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa is staying at a hotel in the heart of Bangkok, where police are advising him not to leave for security reasons, a source said on Friday, reported the Bangkok Post.

Rajapaksa arrived with three other people on a chartered flight from Singapore at Don Mueang International Airport around 8pm on Thursday.

According to the source, the group had planned to land in Phuket but concerns about a possible information leak resulted in the flight being redirected to Bangkok. On arrival, he was escorted by Thai police and military personnel.

At the hotel, the location of which was not disclosed, plainclothes police officers from the Special Branch Bureau have been deployed to ensure safety. Officials have asked the former leader to remain within the hotel during his stay in the country.

Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka on July 14 for Singapore amid massive protests over the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. He resigned from the presidency after arriving in the city-state, where his visa expired this week.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told reporters on Wednesday that Rajapaksa would be allowed to enter Thailand on humanitarian grounds but would be advised to keep a low profile during his stay.

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the former Sri Lankan president could stay for up to 90 days as he carried a diplomatic passport.

Rajapaksa has made no public appearances or comment since leaving Sri Lanka.

(Source: Bangkok Post)