Sri Lanka's ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves Singapore for Thailand

Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has reportedly departed from Singapore for Thailand after the expiration of his short-term visa.  According to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of Singapore, he left the country on Thursday, August 11. Rajapaksa was given a 14-day visit when he first landed in Singapore on July 14, which was subsequently extended until August 11. The former Sri Lankan President left the country in mid-July following a widespread protest against the worsening economic crisis. 

Earlier on Wednesday, August 10, Thailand's Foreign Ministry stated that it has received a request from Rajapaksha to visit the southeast Asian country. It further stated that the former Sri Lankan President does not intend to apply for political asylum there. Tanee Sangrat, a spokesperson for the Thailand Foreign Ministry, stressed that the government has no issue with  Rajapaksa visiting the country with a diplomatic passport, the Daily Mirror reported.

Rajapaksha likely to return to Sri Lanka in November: Report

Meanwhile, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha underscored that the Sri Lankan leader will be allowed to enter Bangkok on humanitarian grounds and that he will stay in the country only for a brief period. According to reports, the Sri Lankan government made a formal appeal to the Thai government seeking temporary shelter for the former President. Rajapaksha is expected to return to Sri Lanka in November after his 90-day Thai visa expires and then he would no longer be eligible to apply for temporary shelter in the foreign countries, the Daily Mirror reported citing political sources. 

Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka on July 13

It is pertinent to mention here that Gotabaya Rajapaksa officially resigned as Sri Lanka's President on July 15 amid mounting pressure from his countrymen. Two days before tendering his resignation, Rajapaksa had fled to the Maldives along with his wife and other family members. Staying there for a day, he subsequently moved to Singapore where he stayed nearly for a month. According to reports, Rajapaksa has also made several attempts to apply for asylum in the Middle East but did not receive a positive response.

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