AEC Freezes Thaksin's Assets, Proceeds From Shin Corp Sale

[sriracha john]

More Thaksin family's assets frozen

The Assets Examination Committee ( AEC) of Thailand Monday issued its ninth order to freeze more assets from the family of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Kaewsan Atibodhi, the secretary to the AEC, said the newly frozen assets from Thaksin's family amount to 1.647 billion baht ( about 49.9 million U.S. dollars).

It was the ninth such order made by the AEC. Kaewsan said the AEC has so far frozen near 70 billion baht (2.12 billion U.S. dollars) worth of assets of Thaksin and his family.

The order followed the tracking of billions of baht in similar accounts owned by Thaksin's immediate family members. Since last month, the AEC ordered assets of the deposed Prime Minister Thaksin and his family members in scores of local bank accounts frozen on charges of malfeasance while he was premier and unusually wealthy.

The ruling came after the Constitution Tribunal on May 30 disbanded Thai Rak Thai party, founded by Thaksin, and three small political parties on electoral fraud during a general election in April last year. The election was later ordered null and void.

However, through a video clip released recently, Thaksin said the AEC's order was unfair since they did not have enough evidence.

- Xinhua

[marshbags]

Apologies for duplicating a news item already posted by S.J in the " wifes suspect land deal "thread

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...p;#entry1435578

marshbags

Edited July 24, 2007 by marshbags

[Jai Dee]

Thai police urged to arrest ousted PM's wife

Thailand's anti-corruption panel has urged police to issue arrest warrants for the wife of ousted Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and three others.

It comes after they failed to appear for questioning last week.

The military-appointed Assets Examination Committee says it will file a complaint with police seeking the arrest of Pojaman Shinawatra and three others for ignoring the panel's summons.

Pojaman and her son, Panthongtae Shinawatra, as well as her sister-in-law and her personal secretary all refused to testify last week.

They did so on the grounds that they risked incriminating themselves by speaking to the committee.

The maximum penalty for failing to appear is six months in jail and $US334 in fines.

The AEC is investigating a raft of criminal investigations against Mr Thaksin and his family, and has frozen more than $1.5 billion worth of their assets.

Source: ABC News - 24 July 2007

[Jai Dee]

AEC to complain to police

Panel reacts to refusal to testify by Pojaman and others summoned

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) yesterday decided to file a complaint at Bang Sue police station accusing Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, wife of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, her son and two others of violating anti-graft laws by refusing to testify on the Shin Corp share sale.

AEC spokesman Kaewsan Atibodhi said the AEC issued the ruling after Pojaman, her son Panthongtae Shinawatra, her secretary Kanchanapa Honghern, and her sister-in-law Busaba Damapong - Bhanapot Damapong's wife - had refused to testify as witnesses before an AEC subcommittee headed by Viroj Laohapan. Kaewsan said Pojaman had postponed giving testimony to Viroj's panel four times. For her latest appointment on July 19, she sent a letter stating her intention not to testify on grounds that the AEC had no right to summon her to give statements that would cause her damage.

Her son had turned up at the AEC offices a day earlier as summoned, but when the AEC notified him that he had the right not to answer questions if he felt the answers or statements he made could be used against him in court, Panthongtae consulted his lawyer and told the panel that he would not testify.

He cited his constitutional right not to testify in case his statements could be used against him.

Kaewsan said the refusal to testify by the four people was a violation of Article 118 of the National Counter Corruption Commission, an offence punishable by up to six months' imprisonment and a Bt10,000 fine.

The AEC yesterday also issued another order to freeze proceeds from the sale of Shin Corp, this time for Bt1.6 billion.

The assets frozen were in the name of Bhanapot and Busaba Damapong, comprising three promissory notes, two of Bt200 million each and one of Bt100 million; two Bangkok Bank accounts of Bt625 million and Bt40 million; and two UOB accounts of Bt280 million and Bt200 million.

This ninth order brings the total amount of Thaksin's assets ordered frozen by the AEC to Bt64 billion.

However, the AEC found that it still has to trace Bt39.9 million of this amount because a check on Busaba's account holding Bt40 million was found to have only Bt100,000 remaining.

The AEC also ruled to have the Department of Special Investigation conduct a probe into whether charges could be brought against officials of the Financial Institutions Development Fund. These concern collusion to rig the bidding on a Ratchadapisek land plot so that Pojaman won.

--------------------------------------------

Lawyers allege bias

The Criminal Court trial into alleged tax evasion by Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, her brother and her secretary yesterday heard allegations the state was prejudiced against the defendants.

For three hours defence counsel grilled Assets Examination Committee member Sak Korsaengruang on cross-examination.

Sak denied assertions the committee was biased and insisted it was objective and had no dispute with the defendants or Thaksin Shinawatra, the husband of Pojaman.

The charges stem from the 1997 transfer of shares in Shinawatra Computer and Communication. Pojaman, her secretary Kanchanapa Honghern and brother Bhanapot Damapong are accused of evading Bt546 million in taxes and penalties on the sale of shares valued at Bt738 million.

Source: The Nation - 24 July 2007

[sriracha john]

UPDATE....with more assets frozen

AEC orders more assets freezing worth 200 Million Baht

The Assets Examination Committee Monday issued another order to freeze assets worth 200 Million Baht of Bannaphot Damapong, a brother-in-law of former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

The assets were two funds each worth 100 Million Baht managed by Kasikorn Assets Management Co Ltd.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

More funds frozen over link to Shin Corp sale

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) yesterday froze more assets of Bhanapot Damapong, saying the money was linked to the Shin Corp sale.

Committee spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said the assets were in two funds, each worth Bt100 million, and handled by Kasikorn Asset Management. Bhanapot is a brother-in-law of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The committee has imposed 10 separate assets freeze on accounts held by the Shinawatra family.

- The Nation

[Jai Dee]

AEC to freeze more assets of Mr Bannapot

A meeting of the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) today (August, 7th) resolves to freeze more assets worth 200 million baht of Bannapot Damapong (บรรณพจน์ ดามาพงศ์). The assets are from Mr Bannapot’s two bank accounts he opened with the Kasikorn (กสิกร) Bank.

The AEC has earlier frozen five accounts of Mr Bannapot on grounds of avoiding taxes of the Shin Corp share deal. Sources say more assets of about two billion baht of Mr Bannapot will be frozen. Two of his accounts estimated at 1.2 billion baht which have yet been frozen were closed mid last year. However, AEC alleged that the money of the accounts were spent on buying shares of other companies.

AEC reports that it will soon track down the money of the ex-prime minister’s son, Panthongtae Shinawatra (พานทองแท้ ชินวัตร). It has found that some of the money was used to buy shares of a company.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 07 August 2007

[sriracha john]

Time for some more Thaksin Family testimony in front of the corruption investigators. What will her malingering malady be for a postponement request be? A bad yeast infection requiring treatment in Singapore?

Thaksin's Niece to Meet Assets Probe Panel Next Week

The deposed premier's niece will meet the Assets Examination Committee's sub-panel considering the petition calling for the revocation of the assets freeze orders, to prove that she gained possession of the frozen funds through honest means.

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) sub-panel responsible for the consideration of the petition calling for the revocation of the assets freeze orders will call its first meeting on Thursday, to outline its framework after the legal team of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra lodged a complaint, asking the committee to lift asset freeze orders on some parts of his assets.

Representatives from Teerakupt Law firm reportedly submitted a complaint on Monday, asking the sub-panel to revoke its assets freeze orders on the 120,000 baht the company received from acting as a legal advisor for the Shin Corp deal.

Meanwhile, Chinnicha Wongsawad, daughter of Yaowapa Wongsawad, the deposed premier's sister, is scheduled to meet the sub-panel on August 16 to prove that she gained possession of the frozen funds through honest means.

- Thailand Outlook

=============================

Thaksin's lawyers are complaining because they're not getting paid to work on his frozen assets case because his payment to them has been frozen.

=========================================================================

some background on Thaksin's shield... errrr, I mean, Thakin's niece:

from just before the coup... The Nation / Sep. 4, 2006

PM's niece has no time for politics

Chinnicha Wongsawat, a niece of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has no interest in politics. She has time only for driving her transport and logistics business to the top.

Chinnicha, or "Cheer", 25, was groomed by mother, Yaowapa, a younger sister of the prime minister, since she was a child.

She would accompany her mother on many business trips. "She is a fast learner and has had a good business mind since she was young. We've no gap when talking of business matters. And, she can fly solo now," said Yaowapa.

Chinnicha dreamed of being a businesswoman since she was a girl. She studied at Thammasat University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy and went on to a post-graduate degree in e-commerce at Birkbeck, University of London.

Mobile handset distributor M Link Asia was the proving ground for her management skills. She helped run its marketing and mobile content development. M Link was co-founded by her mother and aunt, Monthatip Kovitcharoenkul. Chinnicha holds about 12 per cent of M Link stock.

Today, Chinnicha is chief strategy officer at property and construction company Wyncoast Industrial Park, which is entering the logistics arena.

Last year Yaowapa took over LCD-screen maker Capetronic International (Thailand), a listed company in rehabilitation since 2003. It was renamed Wyncoast and changed its focus to property, leased duty-free industrial zones and an integrated logistics business.

The government has a long-term policy to improve the country's logistics. Chinnicha wanted Wyncoast to be a provider of comprehensive logistics services within the next five years.

Her family owns more than 50 per cent of Wyncoast.

The family sold its shares in publisher Traffic Corner Holdings and construction company Ascon Construction. She said these were short-term investments only. "It was just ordinary stock investment. But we have stopped doing that to focus solely on our core business, Wyncoast," Chinnicha said, insisting the family had no plan to sell Wyncoast, which it saw as a long-term deal.

The budding businesswoman is also a keen stock-market player and the first company she invested in was Thailand's largest cellular operator, Advanced Info Service (AIS) - founded by the Shinawatra family.

As if she weren't busy enough, Chinnicha and friends have invested in a Chinese restaurant set to open at Suvarnabhumi Airport. She has also sunk her own cash into exporting spa products, but declined to reveal the brand.

Among her investment advisers were Monthatip and Thaksin's youngest sister Yingluck, formerly AIS president.

Because of the Shinawatra link, her business activities are closely watched. Many have accused her of capitalising on Thaksin's clout.

Chinnicha isn't worried and says the claims are untrue. "Everything I do is transparent and can be scrutinised. If what you do is right, at the end of the day those who want to taint your reputation will give up and retreat," she said.

-----------------------------------

Perhaps she can utilize that last line during her testimony to the investigators, who clearly have not given up and retreated.

[sriracha john]

Thaksin to file cash statement

Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his relatives are expected today to file statements with the Assets Examination Committee defending the sources of more than 60 Billion Baht in funds that have been frozen.

"The key argument against the impounding of assets is that the Shin Corp shares belonged to Thaksin and people linked to him before he assumed the position of prime minister, so there's no justification for immobilising earnings from the sale of those shares," lawyer Pichit Chuenban said yesterday.

Some of the seized assets were not even related to the Shin Corp sale, he said.

The contested bank accounts belong to Thaksin, his wife Pojaman, his two children Panthongtae and Pinthongta, his brother-in-law Bhanapot Damapong, his sister Yingluck and many companies.

An AEC panel convened its first meeting to review an appeal by ThaiCom Foundation for the return of 200 Million Baht linked to Thaksin's frozen assets.

The panel, chaired by AEC member Amnuay Thantara, also plans to hear from representatives of SC Office Plaza Co seeking 2 Billion Baht, on August 22, and from Chinnicha Wongsawat asking for her 100 Million Baht on August 24.

- The Nation

[John K]

Ousted PM seeks unfreezing of his Bt40 billion

Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Thursday filed a request with the Assets Examination Committee through his lawyers to unfreeze his family's assets worth more than Bt40 billion.

Thursday marked the end of the 60-day deadline for Thaksin and his wife, Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, to file their objection to the freezing of the assets before a proper investigation is launched. The deadline was set by the AEC subcommittee led by Amnuay Thanthara, which is probing the Shin Corp share sale to Singapore's Temasek by the Shinawatra family.

The AEC has been freezing the Shinawatra family's assets since June after gathering sufficient evidence to make the case that Thaksin, and his wife, controlled Shin Corp while he was prime minister, using relatives and family associates as shareholders. The antigraft body also said that it had enough evidence to prove that Thaksin had committed malfeasance, making him unusually wealthy.

The former premier's lawyer, Somporn Pongsuwan, said he had requested the AEC to unfreeze Thaksin's assets worth Bt500 million and Pojaman's assets worth 2.8 billion within seven days on grounds that his client had assets worth more than Bt50 billion before he entered politics.

Kittiporn Arunrat, another authorised lawyer, requested the AEC to unfreeze the combined assets of Thaksin's children, Pinthongta and Panthongtae, worth Bt40 billion within seven days.

AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said that Thaksin and his family needed to prove in testimony that they earned the assets legally. "Lawyers' statements are not testimony. The Shinawatra family will have to give proof by themselves," he said.

Pichit Chuenban, a lawyer authorised by Pojaman's brother, Bhanapot Damapong, requested that the AEC unfreeze Bt19 billion of his assets.

Phichit said Bhanapot was a Shin Corp shareholder and has held the shares for more than 11 years - well before Thaksin assumed the post of prime minister. The AEC froze Bhanapot's Bt200 million, which accounts for more than the proceeds earned by the sale of Shin Corp shares. The AEC also seized assets worth Bt7 million owned by Bhanapot's wife, Busaba, even though she had nothing to do with the Shin Corp share sales, Phichit said.

He called upon the AEC to unfreeze Bt200 million in assets within 30 days.

Weerapat Srichaiya, a lawyer for Yinglak Shinawatra, has also requested that the AEC unfreeze Bt100 million of her assets within seven days citing that the sum had been earned legally.

by Budsarakham Sinlapalavan,

Bancha Khaengkhan

The Nation

[sriracha john]

Thaksin family lawyers attempt to reclaim assets

BANGKOK -- Lawyers of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, his family members and relatives have formally pleaded for the Assets Examination Committee to consider unfreezing their respective assets in seven days.

The lawyers have separately lodged petitions for the AEC to consider unfreezing varied bank accounts owned by Mr Thaksin and others, including a frozen batch of Bt40 billion owned by Panthongtae and Pintongtha Shinawatra, son and daughter of the deposed prime minister respectively, a frozen Bt500 million account belonging to Mr. Thaksin, a frozen Bt2.8 billion account of his wife Pojaman, a frozen Bt100 million account of Yinglak Shinawatra, a sister of the former prime minister, and a frozen B19 billion account of Bannaphot Damaphong, Mrs. Pojaman's stepbrother.

The bank accounts were frozen on the order of the AEC which had litigated Mr. Thaksin and his family and relatives on corruption and misconduct charges pertaining to last year's sales of their Shin Corp stocks to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

The lawyers of the defendants argued that acquisitions of all the frozen fortunes had by no means involved the controversial Shin Corp transactions as earlier alleged and that they had held their stocks well before Mr Thaksin became prime minister several years ago.

In Mr. Bannaphot's case, one lawyer said, Mrs. Pojaman's brother had held his stock for 11 years before they changed hands last year.

However, AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said it is very unlikely for his panel to consider the petitions in such a short period of time and that the defendants themselves, and not their lawyers, should show up and testify before an AEC subcommittee in charge of verifying assets acquisitions.

- MCOT

=======================================================================

Sorry, you'll have to come back in person to claim it...

[John K]

Sweet!

[sriracha john]

Meanwhile, the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) plans to impose a freeze on the assets of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party next week, according to a source at the agency. The freeze is part of the process where the OAG has to settle the financial accounts of Thai Rak Thai within six months of the party being dissolved, as ordered by the Constitution Tribunal. The source said officials of the OAG will travel to the former ruling party's office in the IFCT building to make an inventory of assets such as computers, tables, desks and gym equipment paid for by Mr Thaksin. The source said numbers will be assigned to the items in the office and photos taken so the assets cannot be moved anywhere without authorisation. The source said the OAG had printed numbered stickers and staff from the Legal Execution Department would paste them on the assets.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10Aug2007_news12.php

[sriracha john]

AEC rejects Bhanapot complaint

Assets Examination Committee (AEC) spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said yesterday that the anti-graft panel would return Bt200 million of frozen assets to Bhanapot Damapong - if he could prove that he earned it legally.

Sak was commenting after Bhanapot's lawyer lodged an objection stating that the AEC had frozen Bt200 million more than the actual proceeds from the Shin Corp share sale and demanding that the amount be returned within 30 days.

Sak insisted that the AEC had not frozen assets worth more than proceeds of the Shin Corp sale by the families of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his brother-in-law Damapong, and in fact needed to freeze even more assets.

Sak said Bhanapot should come to the AEC in person to show proof because his lawyer was not the owner of the assets and could not answer all questions on his behalf.

Pichit Chuenban, Bhanapot's lawyer, insisted that the AEC did not have the right to freeze the Bt200 million and that Bhanapot would not offer any proof that he earned that money legally.

"The AEC must check if it has frozen more than it should have," Pichit said.

- The Nation

[John K]

Lawyers not being able to answer all the questions:

A: They are smart enough not to perjure themselves.

Or

B: If you want your money back bad enough don’t send the maid.

[Tony Clifton]

"The AEC must check if it has frozen more than it should have," Pichit said.

I say Pichit must check if he bit off more than he could chew.

[sriracha john]

Beginning to have a little cash-flow problem?

Thaksin-related companies seek unfreezing of accounts

BANGKOK – Shin Corp subsidiaries which had held nearly 8 Billion Baht in bank accounts frozen by the Assets Examination Committee, have asked the panel to unfreeze them within one week, asserting that their business activities had nothing to do with the probe on charges earlier lodged against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, according to a lawyer of the firms.

OAI Management Co., a telecom firm, and Worth Supplies Co., both Shin Corp subsidiaries, appealed with an AEC subcommittee in charge of verifying wealth acquisitions by the deposed prime minister and others, to consider unfreezing 5 Billion Baht and 2.8 Billion Baht in their bank accounts respectively within seven days.

Lawyer Wimon Songsermsakul told the AEC subcommittee that the frozen fortunes had merely been accumulated from rounds of capital raising by the firms' stockholders and had by no means involved any charges filed by the panel against Mr. Thaksin and others.

Though Chanond Suwasin, who was personally close to the former prime minister, and Kanchanapha Honghern, personal secretary to Pojaman Shinawatra, sat on the firms' boards of directors, their commercial businesses should be considered irrelevant to those corruption charges, he said.

- MCOT

===========================================

As they've repeatedly said before to these lawyers.... have the owner of the money, Thaksin, come and apply in person to unfreeze the assets.

[John K]

Well you know this is going no place because they will want Thaksin in person to answer questions. It is beginning to look like the wind in Thaksin’s defense sails is not much more than a fart.

[sriracha john]

Graft panel wants details of Thaksin family firm in UK

Graft busters on Wednesday requested details of a holding company registered in London that is linked to assets listed as belonging to members of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's family.

The request was made by the Amnuay Tantara panel, which is reviewing Thaksin's frozen assets. It was part of an appellate review of an order to impound Bt2 billion linked to SC Office Plaza Co.

SC Office Plaza is linked to Thaksin and suspected of helping him to stash part of Bt73 billion paid by Singapore's Temasek Holdings for the major stake in Shin Corp in January last year.

The panel convened Wednesday hearing to consider a plea by the company to dismiss orders to freeze some assets.

In a statement given by the company's representative, it said Bt2 billion in funds was transferred by Thaksin's daughter Pinthongta on June 5 to pay for the company's recapitalisation of 200 million shares at Bt10 par value.

The recapitalisation was part of the company's preparations to invest in London-based Shinawatra Family Assets Ltd, which came into existence in April.

The representative could not explain the company's planned investment and promised to submit additional evidence by September 14, the date of the next hearing.

Kanchanapa Honghern, private secretary to Thaksin's wife Khunying Pojaman, is scheduled to testify for the company at the next hearing.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Call for probe of UK firm

Panel wants to review plan to transfer 2 Billion Baht

Graft busters yesterday requested details of a holding company registered in London that is linked to the assets listed as belonging to members of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's family.

The request was made by the Amnuay Tantara panel, which is reviewing Thaksin's frozen assets. It was part of an appellate review of an order to impound Bt2 billion linked to SC Office Plaza Co.

SC Office Plaza is linked to Thaksin and suspected of helping him to stash part of Bt73 billion paid by Singapore's Temasek Holdings for the major stake in Shin Corp in January last year.

The panel convened yesterday hearing to consider a plea by the company to dismiss orders to freeze some assets.

In a statement given by the company's representative, it said Bt2 billion in funds was transferred by Thaksin's daughter Pinthongta on June 5 to pay for the company's recapitalisation of 200 million shares at Bt10 par value.

The recapitalisation was part of the company's preparations to invest in London-based Shinawatra Family Assets Ltd, which came into existence in April.

The representative could not explain the company's planned investment and promised to submit additional evidence by September 14, the date of the next hearing.

Kanchanapa Honghern, private secretary to Thaksin's wife Khunying Pojaman, is scheduled to testify for the company at the next hearing.

Meanwhile, a commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2 said yesterday members of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's family will face arrest warrants if they fail to appear at hearings on any charges linked to the controversial sale of Shin Corp.

The commander Pol Maj Gen Amnuay Nimmano spoke after the Assets Examination Committee legal adviser Montien Charoenphol sought to lay charges against the former PM's wife Pojaman, his son Panthongtae, Bussaba Damapong and Pojaman's secretary Kanchanapa Honghern.

All had failed to testify after being summoned to appear before a special anti-graft panel.

Major General Amnuay said police would collect evidence, then summons the accused to testify. If the four did not respond, police would issue arrest warrants for them.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Mr Amnuay is also chairman of an ASC panel considering evidence from members of the Shinawatra family and relatives regarding frozen assets. He said the panel had approved a request by Mr Thaksin's niece, Chinnicha Wongsawat, seeking postponement of a meeting until Sept 27. Ms Chinnicha, the daughter of Mr Thaksin's younger sister, Yaowapa Wongsawat, was asked to give her statements on Aug 24. Some of her bank accounts were also frozen by the ASC.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/27Aug2007_news11.php

[Jai Dee]

AEC requests BoT to inspect transaction accounts of 200 people

Spokesman of the Assets Examination Committee (AEC), Sak Korsaengruang (สัก กอแสงเรือง) discloses that AEC requested the Bank of Thailand to inspect the transfer of money to foreign countries by 200 people involved in the Shin Corp share deal.

According to the spokesman, BoT has a mandate to directly examine the money transfer. BoT has reported progress of the inspection to AEC.

Mr Sak says further that a subcommittee of AEC held a meeting yesterday to consider disciplinary punishments for both former and present officials of the Ministry of Commerce involved in the Shin Corp share deal. AEC is preparing documents in order to file lawsuits against them.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 August 2007

[sriracha john]

no small wonder that lawyers are the first to cry the loudest....

Meanwhile, the AEC will decide on Monday whether to unfreeze Bt140,000 in assets of a legal firm hired by the Shinawatra family to fight a tax-evasion case. The AEC froze the assets by taking recourse in the anti-money laundering law after it suspected the money was proceeds from the Shin sale.

Ekkamol Boonyawairot, a representative from the firm, complained to the AEC, saying the money frozen was the fee the Shinawatra family paid his firm for legal consultancy.

- The Nation

[jumnien]

no small wonder that lawyers are the first to cry the loudest....

Meanwhile, the AEC will decide on Monday whether to unfreeze Bt140,000 in assets of a legal firm hired by the Shinawatra family to fight a tax-evasion case. The AEC froze the assets by taking recourse in the anti-money laundering law after it suspected the money was proceeds from the Shin sale.

Ekkamol Boonyawairot, a representative from the firm, complained to the AEC, saying the money frozen was the fee the Shinawatra family paid his firm for legal consultancy.

- The Nation

The AEC is really going after 140,000 baht; what are they taking a office desk and chair?

[sriracha john]

If 140K is so important to these lawyers... and lord knows how many millions he has already paid his battalion of lawyers... perhaps Thaksin could use some of his billions in his non-frozen assets to pay off his own lawyers...

[John K]

It would be a bit ironic to see Thaksin's lawyers turn on him demanding they be paid with clean money.

Edited September 4, 2007 by John K

[sriracha john]

Just like his idol, Marcos, seems that Thaksin stashed his money in Swiss accounts.... and now they've frozen it... :D

Thaksin Shinawatra

REUTERS

Ousted Thai premier angry with Swiss banks

ZURICH - Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra vented his anger against Swiss banks on Wednesday, telling a local newspaper his accounts had been frozen and that the country's vaunted banking secrecy was a thing of the past.

"I'm filing a suit against the banks because my money is clean," Thaksin told Swiss newspaper Mittelland Zeitung in extracts from an interview scheduled for publication on Sept. 16.

"Good old bank secrecy is no more. Absolute discretion is a thing of the past," he said.

Graft investigators have frozen $1.5 billion in Thaksin's Thai bank accounts and have issued an arrest warrant for "official misconduct" in a Bangkok land deal.

Swiss banks have also frozen some of Thaksin's money, according to the interview.

Thaksin, a former policeman who became one of Thailand's richest men, has sued a Thai anti-graft panel demanding compensation for damage caused by the order to freeze his assets.

Thailand's military, which ousted Thaksin in September 2006 in a bloodless coup, accused him of presiding over rampant corruption and of showing disrespect to revered King Bhumipol Adulyadej.

But Thaksin defended himself and his family against allegations of corruption. "Neither my family nor I has done anything illegal. It is defamation," he told the Swiss newspaper.

He also criticised the military government's record in office. "The hopes of the country's poor for a better life have been shattered," Thaksin said.

A parliamentary election have been promised for December and Thaksin's supporters last month picked a combative conservative, Samak Sundaravej, to lead their party.

Thaksin ruled out a return to his home country in the short term. He is living in exile in Britain where he has bought Manchester City soccer club for 81 million pounds ($160 million).

Analysts say he bought the club to keep his profile high in Thailand, where English soccer enjoys a strong following.

- Reuters

[John K]

This is truly an enjoyable read. I guess Thaksin will be sending his favorite suing lawyer over to Switzerland. I expect Thaksin to feel a lot less secure over this with no place to hide his ill gotten wealth.

I suspect Marcos was before 9-11 and Osama and Thaksin is after has a bit to do with the Swiss banks being more open.

[Tony Clifton]

He's now throwing lawsuits at the banks.

Does this mean that INTERPOL is still involved if Swiss bank accounts were frozen?

It will take some more time but the finale to this long and entertaining play will be grandiose.

I don't know if he's ready for the upcoming humiliation, I think the man no longer knows what humiliation is.

[John K]

I can clearly visualize breakable objects being tossed around Thaksin’s house in the UK just about now along with the melt down of a few more of his sim cards.