NACC revives two cases against Thaksin under newly passed law

[webfact]

NACC revives two cases against Thaksin under newly passed law

By THE NATION

 

File photo: Thaksin Shinawatra

 

THE NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is reviving two cases related to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra following the promulgation of legal procedures specified by the recently passed law on political office holders.

 

Thaksin’s lawyer, meanwhile, filed a petition with the Office of the Attorney-General asking for a review of lese majeste charge against the fugitive former premier.

 

NACC President Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit said yesterday that he had instructed the legal office to revive three cases under the jurisdiction of the agency following the promulgation of the new criminal procedures against political office holders, which allows prosecutors and the courts to pursue cases in absentia. 

 

The three cases had been suspended temporarily under the old law. 

 

Two of the three cases involve Thaksin, who fled Thailand in August 2008. 

 

The first case relates to alleged graft related to a loan advanced by the Export-Import Bank of Thailand, in which Thaksin was accused of abuse of power by ordering the bank in 2006 to increase a Bt3-billion loan to Bt4 billion so that Myanmar’s then-ruling junta could buy services from a Shinawatra-run company, Shin Satellite. 

 

An arrest warrant was issued on September 16, 2008 in that case.

 

The second case pertains to the two- and three-digit lottery scheme, in which Thaksin, his Cabinet and the then-Government Lottery Office director were accused of committing graft and neglecting their duties by approving a 2003 lottery scheme that was later found to violate the Government Lottery Office bill. 

 

A related arrest warrant was issued on September 26, 2008.

 

The third case involves the private sector over the procurement of fire trucks at a cost of Bt6.68-billion by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Watcharapol said.

 

He said the NACC would probably file a request with the Supreme Court to pursue the cases.

 

He denied the new law was designed to target Thaksin and his sister, fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was recently convicted in absentia of insufficient oversight of her former government’s rice-pledging scheme.

 

Meanwhile, Thaksin’s lawyer, Chokchai Angkaew, filed a petition with the Attorney-General asking for a review of charges against his client.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30329157

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-10-13

[Samui Bodoh]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He denied the new law was designed to target Thaksin and his sister, fugitive former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was recently convicted in absentia of insufficient oversight of her former government’s rice-pledging scheme.

 

These denials are deeply insulting to anyone who has a brain.

 

Thaksin is gone and ain't ever coming back. He had his one chance for amnesty in 2013, but it failed. He will not have another.

 

Why doesn't the NACC play a useful role in Thai public life? 

 

An anti-corruption agency needs to be independent, credible, effective and politically neutral.

 

The NACC fails on all four counts.

 

Waste of time and money...

 

[ezzra]

26 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Waste of time and money...

Not really, if they can get him, or put their hand on his wealth still in Thailand

or haunt and harass his kids, there's gold in them there Shins to

be made, billions in fact...

[leeneeds]

A mounting amount of costs for Thaksin = a very happy lawyer,

 

assets that are found to be accumulated from ill gotten gains that have  no proof of how legally these assets were paid for will be subject to that scrutiny, All who have such would be slightly unsettled from the passing of the new law.

[chingmai331]

Gotta luv these laws passed 'after the fact'.  Yesterday legal, new govt steps in, now yesterday's law totally tossed and new law slams whoever the current govt wants.

 

How very like communist china, oops.   Is T'land going that way; the way of the one party rule and dictatorial mandates, prohibition on speech and press...?  No doubt about it.

[FritsSikkink]

51 minutes ago, chingmai331 said:

Gotta luv these laws passed 'after the fact'.  Yesterday legal, new govt steps in, now yesterday's law totally tossed and new law slams whoever the current govt wants.

 

How very like communist china, oops.   Is T'land going that way; the way of the one party rule and dictatorial mandates, prohibition on speech and press...?  No doubt about it.

Not really, it was never legal but one could avoid punishment by doing a runner. good thing that they are fixing a problem. 

[Hayduke]

See….?

Now if Thaksin only had the foresight to award himself complete immunity from any and all responsibility (like some more…savvy and innovative tyrants) he’d be free and clear.

A lesson learned for next generation usurpers of power.

[YetAnother]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

instructed the legal office to revive three cases under the jurisdiction of the agency following the promulgation of the new criminal procedures

what amounts to retroactive laws  is a dangerous, slippery slope

[bill1369]

With Thai being the official language of the universe, I'd guess Thais don't know what an ex post facto law is.

[sweatalot]

8 hours ago, chingmai331 said:

Gotta luv these laws passed 'after the fact'.  Yesterday legal, new govt steps in, now yesterday's law totally tossed and new law slams whoever the current govt wants.

 

How very like communist china, oops.   Is T'land going that way; the way of the one party rule and dictatorial mandates, prohibition on speech and press...?  No doubt about it.

I doubt it -

while agreeing that some things are not as they should.

You are by far over the top