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Thai junta chief leaves for Hajj

Thailand's Muslim junta leader has left Bangkok to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, joining millions of people from around the world in the annual Hajj, officials said on Friday.

DNA Web Team

Updated : Nov 19, 2013, 11:17 PM IST

BANGKOK: Thailand's Muslim junta leader has left Bangkok to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, joining millions of people from around the world in the annual Hajj, officials said on Friday.

General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the first Muslim to head the army in this Buddhist nation, left the Thai capital Thursday and is scheduled to return on January 7, according to a Government House official.

The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam, and is an obligation for all Muslims at least once during their lives if they can afford to do so.

Sonthi left the country before a security meeting early on Friday between army-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and the military to discuss the possible return to Thailand of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Sonthi led the September coup that toppled Thaksin's government while the billionaire premier was in New York.

Since then, Thaksin has been living in self-imposed exile abroad and is currently staying in Beijing.

On Tuesday, the finance minister said the Bank of Thailand would file corruption charges against Thaksin after the junta's graft-busters found two cases of fraud involving the former prime minister.

Following the announcement, Thaksin's legal advisor, Noppadon Patama, said the deposed leader was ready to return to Thailand to defend himself.

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