Army chief Teerachai Nakwanich has downplayed Pheu Thai politician Watana Muangsook's complaint that his daughter was forced to leave the country during her fight to secure his release, saying the politician is trying to divert public attention from his offence.
"Do not pay much attention to him. This is a person who violated the law," Gen Teerachai said, responding to Mr Watana's comments that his daughter, Weerada, was pressured to leave Thailand with her mother.
Gen Teerachai said the politician is trying to divert public attention, adding that Mr Watana broke the law and must be dealt with.
Mr Watana mentioned on Facebook following his release on Thursday that many people expressed concern about his daughter who was fighting for his release.
On Tuesday, Mr Watana's daughter petitioned the European Union (EU) to push for Mr Watana's release as well as to examine his case and other arbitrary detentions by the military. An international or external body specialising in human rights should probe whether the junta's actions violated international law, she said.
Mr Watana said he owed his daughter for her sacrifice, adding she was the key to securing his release. The politician was released on bail of 80,000 baht granted by the Military Court on Thursday.
Mr Watana turned himself in to soldiers at the 11th Military Circle in Bangkok's Dusit district on Monday after officers failed to find him at home in Prawet district on April 14.
The former social development and human security minister said a judge advocate officer met him at the army compound on Monday and told him to acknowledge charges of making political comments through his Facebook page, breaching an order of the National Council for Peace and Order's (NCPO). He said he insisted he did nothing wrong and decided not to eat until he was discharged.
He was later taken to a military camp in Kanchanaburi's Sai Yok district.
Mr Watana was brought back to the 11th Military Circle again on Thursday, just before he was released.
He said he was not surprised that Maj Gen Thammanoon Withee, commander of the 9th Infantry Division, reportedly said that he would have faced more charges if he had not eaten food provided by the division, as such an act would have signalled an act of protest.
Mr Watana sarcastically said: "The expression of opinion can still be seen as a political movement. Therefore, refusing to eat could be deemed a breach of the NCPO's order. Power is in your hands. You can do whatever you want."
Meanwhile, Maj Gen Thammanoon said yesterday the media misquoted him, saying he has never said Mr Watana would face more charges for refusing to eat.
He said what he meant was that if Mr Watana continued to fail to cooperate with NCPO requests, including refraining from expressing his political views, he would be prosecuted.
"We thought Mr Watana could not undergo the training course, so we let our superiors decide whether to take legal action against him," said Maj Gen Thammanoon.