08.12.2015

EP renews her invitation to the Thai opposition

The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, Elmar Brok, in the name of his Committee, and ASEAN Delegation Chair Dr Werner Langen stress the importance of having an exchange of views with former Prime Minister of Thailand Ms Yingluck Shinawatra in a meeting at the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Delegation for relations with the ASEAN at the earliest.

They are surprised and deeply disappointed with the decision of the Thai authorities to block her appearance in an open debate in the European Parliament. Both Chairs call for the government to take appropriate and urgent action to enable Ms Shinawatra to travel to Europe freely.

Both the Foreign Affairs Committee and the ASEAN Delegation are ready to continue also the meetings with the Thai authorities in Brussels as Brok and Dr Langen mentioned in their letter to the Thai Ambassador. They also criticize that Thai officials tried to give the wrong impression that Brok and Dr Langen had not sent their invitation to the former Prime Minister in their official capacity.

They underline the desire of the European Parliament to visit Thailand in 2016 and to meet at this occasion the Parliament, government’s representatives, civil society and opposition leaders including Ms Shinawatra.

(Annex to the press release: letter to the Thai Ambassador)