Sri Lanka

Singapore Former Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa not accorded any privileges, immunity or hospitality by Singapore Mr Rajapaksa flew to Singapore from the Maldives after fleeing Sri Lanka amid protests over an economic crisis. File photo of Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Nov 1, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Pool/Andy Buchanan) 01 Aug 2022 11:53PM  (Updated: 01 Aug 2022 11:53PM) Bookmark Share SINGAPORE:   Former Sri Lanka president Gotabaya Rajapaksa   was not accorded any privileges, immunity or hospitality by the Singapore Government, said Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday (Aug 1). In a written answer to a parliamentary question from MP Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied) about Mr Rajapaksa's arrival in Singapore, Dr Balakrishnan said:  In general, the Singapore Government does not accord privileges, immunity and hospitality to former heads of state or heads of government. “ Consequently, former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was not accorded any p...

  Thailand: Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Thailand on Thursday (Aug 11), according to three Reuters witnesses, as he seeks temporary shelter in a second country in Southeast Asia after   fleeing his island nation   last month amid mass protests. Rajapaksa arrived at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport on a chartered flight from Singapore after the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority said in a statement on Thursday that  he had left Singapore . Rajapaksa is expected to stay temporarily in Thailand after fleeing Sri Lanka for Singapore on Jul 14. He  resigned from office  shortly afterwards following unprecedented unrest over his government's handling of the worst economic crisis in seven decades, and days after thousands of protesters stormed the president's official residence and office. Thai authorities said that the former military officer, who is the first Sri Lankan head of state to quit mid-term, had no intention of seeking pol...

Sri Lanka's deposed former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returns from exile A convoy of vehicles said to be transporting former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves Colombo's airport early on Sep 3, 2022, after he returned from seven weeks of self-imposed exile amid the country's worst-ever economic crisis. (Photo: AFP/Ishara S Kodikara) 03 Sep 2022 03:56AM  (Updated: 03 Sep 2022 03:56AM) Bookmark COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's deposed former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to the country on Friday (Sep 2), an airport official said, seven weeks after  he fled  amid the island's worst-ever economic crisis. Share COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's deposed former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa returned to the country on Friday (Sep 2), an airport official said, seven weeks after   he fled   amid the island's worst-ever economic crisis. Rajapaksa was festooned with flowers by a welcoming party of ministers and politicians as he disembarked at the main international airport...