Prosecutors to seek count order seizing Thaksin assets

Published: 3/03/2010 at 04:49 PM
Online news: Local News


Attorney-general Chulasingh Vasantasing said on Wednesday he will immediately ask the Supreme Court to issue an order seizing 46.37 billion baht of Thaksin Shinawatra's assets, as set out in Friday's verdict, even though the ousted prime minister's lawyers say they will provide

fresh evidence justifying a new trial within the requisite 30 days.

Mr Chulasingh said he personally believed Thaksin would not have any new evidence which could lead the court to change its verdict.All parties had already revealed all they had to the court during the trial.

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Friday found Thaksin guilty of becoming unusually richer through graft and ordered the seizure of 46.37 billion baht of the Shinawatra family's 76.6 billion baht in frozen assets.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday instructed all state agencies to study the court verdict in detail to see whether they had been damaged, so that they could initiate legal action against Thaksin.

Comptroller-general Pongpanu Savetrunt said his department would over the next few days contact the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to determine which financial institutions were holding the 46.37 billion baht to be confiscated.The assets were believed to be in the form of cash, investments and shares, he said.Mr Pongpanu said his department would go carefully through the ruling to decide if any officials were complicit in the offences. He expected the checks to be complete within 60 days.

The department would then report to finance permanent secretary Sathit Limphongphun on the extent of financial damage to the state, Mr Pongpanu said.Earlier on Tuesday the NACC said it was obliged to act on four cases related to the Feb 26 verdict.

Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief Tharit Pengdit said he had ordered the Bureau of Financial and Banking Crime to find out if there had been any violation of the Securities and Exchange Act.Meanwhile, Information and Communications Technology Minister Ranongrak Suwanchawee said the ICT has set up a committee to examine the verdict and determine how much damage was done to the state by decisions affecting the telecommunications sector.

"The committee comprises legal and financial advisers and representatives from the Department of Special Investigation," Mrs Ranongrak said.

"They will study the court's ruling to see whether there was any more damage [caused by Thaksin and his associates]."The committee will report their findings to the cabinet periodically, she said.

One matter involving the ICT Ministry is the Thaksin cabinet's decision to change TOT and CAT Telecom concession contracts to allow Shin Corp's Advanced Info Services (AIS) to use roaming networks of other cell phone service providers and to allow AIS to discount roaming expenses from its total income before sharing renue with TOT.

Air force commander-in-chief ACM Itthiporn Supphawong on Wednesday called on Thaksin to accept the court's verdict.“If the former premier does not accept the decision Thailand will become a lawless country.

Thaksin was a prime minister and ran the country for several years, so he should support any attempt to bring about peace and order."He should not make any remarks that could lead to more social divisions,” ACM Itthiporn said.