HONG KONG: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva today called on ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra to return home to face

corruption charges, but ruled out the possibility of granting him amnesty.

Abhisit, who visited Hong Kong after months of anti-government protests by Thaksin’s supporters in Thailand, said he should face the consequences.

“He can expect justice from Thailand. He must accept the consequence of his actions,” he said at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) in Hong Kong, the same venue Thaksin was due to speak at in early March.

The premier said his government would consider granting amnesty to members of the opposition parties as part of the reconciliation process to restore order for his country, but stressed that Thaksin would not be among them.

“We are talking about amnesty for what would be political violations. We are not interested in granting amnesty for criminal offenses,” he said.