Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung on Friday defended his performance in allowing the entry of Canadian lawyer Robert Amsterdam despite alleged offence.
"The government does not see Amsterdam as security or social threat," he said referring to the lawyer's link to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the red shirts.
Chalerm said the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation had ordered the Immigration Police to ban Amsterdam's entry last June in the face of the political mayhem.
After the general election, a petition was lodged at Government House to revoke the entry ban, he said.
Following a review without political meddling, the Immigration Pollice agreed to grant entry for Amsterdam, he said. The lawyer has arrived since October 10.
In regard to the September complaint alleging Amsterdam to have offended the monarchy, police had forwarded the case to the Department of Special Investigation.
The DSI ruled on Wednesday that it found no evidence of lese majeste, hence returning the case to the Crime Suppression Division for further checks on other criminal offences.
The CSD has yet to draw a conclusion. Chalerm said Thai law enforcement authorities did not issued an arrest warrants nor filed any charges for Amsterdam as speculated.
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Ref: The Nation
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