Daughter of embattled Pheu Thai politician reportedly pressured to leave Thailand

A politician from the Pheu Thai Party recently released from military custody has told the media that his daughter has been pressured to leave the country.    

Watana Muangsook, a former Member of Parliament from Pheu Thai Party told the BBC Thai on Thursday, 21 April 2016, that certain people pressured the Charoen Pokphand Company (CP), one of the biggest conglomerates in Asia run by the family of his former wife, to convince Weerada Muangsook, his daughter, to leave the country.

However, he did not reveal the details of the individuals who made this attempt.

Watana told BBC Thai that his daughter is only 18 years old and is not involved in politics.

Earlier on Tuesday, Weerada, Narinpong Jinapak, a lawyer representing Watana, and Kittirat Na-Ranong, another Pheu Thai politician, submitted a letter to the Office of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Bangkok, urging international human rights groups and the EU to investigate the detention of Watana and other measures taken by the NCPO to suppress political dissent.

On Thursday evening, the Military Court of Bangkok granted 80,000 baht bail to Watana, setting him free after he had been detained in a military base since Monday when the military accused him of violating National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Announcement No. 39/2014.

In brief, the NCPO announcement states that people who have been released from detention by the authorities must strictly comply with the conditions set upon their release or risk being imprisoned for up to two years or fined up to 40,000 baht or both.

The NCPO earlier said that Watana was among the politicians summoned in the aftermath of the 2014 coup d’état, and was forced to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the regime, promising to steer clear of all political activities. Therefore, he has violated the MoU which he already signed.

Watana has been repeatedly taken in for attitude adjustment by the regime and is also currently battling charges under the Computer Crime Act for posting criticism of Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, the Minister of Defence, over his remarks about Yingluck Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister.

Weerada Muangsook, with her father Watana on her right, in front of the 11th Military Circle in Bangkok on 18 April 2016 (file photo)

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