Ousted Thai PM Faces New Penalties

By AMBIKA AHUJA 06.18.07, 10:27 AM ET From This

Efforts to punish ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for alleged corruption gained momentum Monday, as state prosecutors said they would seek to have him and his wife tried for a suspicious land deal, and an anti-graft panel ordered more of his assets frozen.....

Blog master said... It's cheap trick of Thai Junta , they should have to press to Thaksin to negotiate with them, and they have want to counterattack to him for the speech to the muster at Sanam luang.

The new actions came just three days after Thaksin issued a bitter public complaint that efforts to dismantle his party and seize his fortune were unfair and unjust, and he would fight them.

Attorney General Phatchara Yutithamdamrong announced Monday that his office would submit to court a criminal case concerning the 2003 purchase by Thaksin's wife, Pojamarn, of some prime Bangkok real estate from the Financial Institutions Development Fund, which is directed by the central bank. The fund was established to handle assets of insolvent companies after the 1997 financial crisis.

Blog master said... Mr.Phatchara have ever met with Gen.Prem who behind the scene before 19 coup, This is Thailand, It's clean and clear.

Last month, the anti-graft Assets Examination Committee - established by the coup leaders - decided to recommend to prosecutors that Thaksin and his wife face charges of conflict of interest and malfeasance in connection with the deal.

An anti-corruption law bars prime ministers or their spouses from doing business with a government agency, and the committee said Thaksin as prime minister ultimately oversaw the FIDF.

Phatchara said at a news conference that he will submit a lawsuit Thursday to the branch of the Supreme Court that handles cases of political office holders. His office also recommended that the plot of land, valued at 772 million baht ($23.7 million), be seized.

The conflict of interest charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison while the malfeasance charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, said Phatchara. The Thaksins would not have to appear in court when the charge is submitted, he said. They will be summoned to hear the charges only if the court accepts the case.

The Assets Examination Committee Monday ordered 8 billion baht ($245.7 million) in assets belonging to Thaksin's family frozen, following up a similar action it took last week.

It had already frozen 52.88 billion baht ($1.63 billion) believed to be proceeds from the Shinawatra family's 73.3 billion baht ($1.9 billion at January 2006 rates of exchange) sale last year of telecommunications company Shin Corp. to Temasek Holdings Pte. Ltd., a Singapore state investment company. It alleged there was reason to believe the deal involved corruption.

A spokesman for the committee, Sak Korsaengruang, said it determined that the 8 billion baht had been shifted out of the earlier frozen bank accounts shortly before the order was issued covering them.

Blog master said... Mr.Sak , It's dirty job of your life, your knowledge about the Law used for destroyed the justice system of this country.

Complaining that he was persecuted, Thaksin said Friday in a video shown an a public rally of his supporters that the committee's allegations were "libelous, unfair and unethical."

"I already said that I'm retiring from politics but I am just asking that my family and I live with dignity," he said. "It doesn't mean that I'm not going to fight. I will fight for my honor to prove my innocence."

But he also said he supported political reconciliation, and was open to talks with the military-appointed government that succeeded him.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said at a press conference Monday that he was willing to negotiate with Thaksin, as long as it did not interfere with the judicial process.

"Any negotiation with (Thaksin) must not interfere with the legal cases against him ... the government will not intervene with the court process," Surayud said. "I will do what can be done lawfully but more than that, I am not willing to negotiate."

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Blog master said... Yes , feudal tyrant in Thailand still have influenced for all system in this country, will they win in this war ? So, Thai people is slave forever.