Thaksin faces new charges in Thailand

[dr dave soul monsta]

Thaksin faces new charges in Thailand

The controversy surrounding Thaksin Shinawatra, the Manchester City owner, deepened yesterday when another set of warrants were issued for the arrest of the former Prime Minister of Thailand and his wife.

The warrants were issued in relation to a police inquiry into the couple’s alleged violation of stock-trading laws, according to investigators for the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) in Thailand.

Only three weeks ago, Thailand’s Supreme Court issued warrants for the arrest of Thaksin and Potjaman, his wife, after they failed to return home to answer charges of abuse of power over a 772 million baht (about £12 million) land deal.

Thaksin faces the possible, but unlikely, threat of extradition from Britain, where he has been living since being ousted from office in a military coup last year. He has vowed not to return to Thailand until after the democratic elections in December for fear of his life and those of his family.

The DSI has been investigating allegations that Thaksin and his wife violated Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Act by concealing assets through a company, SC Assets Co, and said that warrants were sought after the couple repeatedly failed to appear in Bangkok to hear the charges. “The court approved an arrest warrant,” Pornchai Asavawattanaporn, of the DSI, said yesterday.

Thaksin, who attended City’s 1-0 defeat by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Sunday, and his wife have still to appear in court over the land deal.

In that case, Thaksin stands accused of abusing his power while in office by helping his wife to buy a prime plot of real estate in Bangkok in 2003 for a price well below its market value.

Thaksin and his wife have denied all allegations of corruption against them and insist that the charges are politically motivated.

A statement from Thaksin in response to the latest set of warrants is expected this morning.

Under Part 2 of the Extradition Act 2003, the Thai Embassy in London could seek the help of the Home Office if Thaksin refuses to return to his homeland, but, given that the present Thai Government was not democratically elected, it would appear unlikely that the Government here would assist in any extradition request.

[September 4, 2007 UK Times online]
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