Thaksin May Face More Arrest Warrants

[sriracha john]

The not-so-subtle "I'm Number One" wai....

Potjaman tax ruling out today

The Criminal Court is stepping up security as it prepares to hand down a verdict today in a tax evasion case against the wife of deposed PM Thaksin, Potjaman, and two other defendants. Narat Imsuksri, the court's secretary, said about 200 police and court security officials will be deployed to boost security in the court compound as huge crowds of supporters and opponents are expected to turn up. Withoon Klongmeeboon, Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, also decided to bar any activities that could cause trouble at the court. Violators of the ban would face legal consequences, he warned. "We do not want any violent incident. Supporters and opponents who come to hear the ruling might cause trouble. Security workers will also check for weapons and explosives which might be brought in. The court's parking lot will be off-limits to outsiders for safety reasons," he said. Mr Narat said today's hearing, which will be conducted in Room 704, will also be broadcast via the court's closed-circuit TV. The security measures are prompted by a 2006 incident in which supporters of three former Election Commissioners staged a noisy protest at the court and made abusive comments about the court ruling against the trio, who were sentenced to four years in jail for mishandling elections.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/310708_News/31Jul2008_news01.php

Edited July 31, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Thaksin's wife awaits verdict

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The wife of ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra awaited a court's verdict Thursday on whether she evaded millions of dollars in taxes, the first and long-awaited ruling in several corruption cases against his inner circle.

Pojaman Shinawatra faces 14 years in prison if convicted, though she is widely expected to appeal any guilty verdict.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, accompanied his wife to Bangkok's Criminal Court, where several hundred supporters clapped and cheered the family's arrival. The couple's three children were also present.

The 51-year-old former first lady, her brother, and secretary face charges of evading millions of dollars in taxes in 1997 through a complicated transfer of shares in the family's flagship business that involved placing stocks in the name of one of the family's maids.

All three have pleaded innocent.

Pojaman, known for her taste in designer clothes and coifed hair, wore a blue blouse and pearl necklace for the court appearance. She and Thaksin did not comment to reporters.

More than 300 police were deployed in the area amid concerns of possible protests by both Thaksin's supporters and opponents.

Thaksin was ousted after being accused of massive corruption and abuse of power during his two terms as prime minister. Four corruption cases have been filed in the courts against Thaksin, two others against his wife, and three cases against two of his children. Many others are under investigation.

Thursday's case centers on a 1997 transfer of shares in Shinawatra Computer, the company that later became Shin Corp. -- Thailand's biggest telecommunications company -- before it was sold in 2006 to a Singapore state-owned company for $2.2 billion.

The share transfer was valued at 738 million baht -- about $22.2 million at the current exchange rate -- and deemed tax-free. The family had listed the deal as a transfer of shares carried out within the stock market, which is exempt from capital gains taxes.

After Thaksin's ouster, an investigation was launched into the deal that prompted the family to change its story.

Pojaman, through her lawyer, said she bought the shares from a family maid and transferred them to her adopted brother, Banapot Damapong, as a gift, which under Thai law is not taxable.

Thailand's Assets Examination Committee determined last year, however, that a check issued to the maid was later deposited in a new bank account belonging to Thaksin's wife.

The committee said Pojaman and her brother had misrepresented the nature of the transaction to avoid paying taxes and should pay back taxes of about 546 million baht ($16.4 million). Thaksin was not implicated in the tax evasion case.

Thaksin was known to have transferred shares in Shin Corp., his telecommunications empire, to his maid, chauffeur, relatives and others to shed holdings before becoming prime minister in 2001 to skirt conflict of interest laws.

- Associated Press

[hammered]

It looks like a guilty verdict is coming down.

[A_Traveller]

From The Nation Website

10.47am : The Criminal Court on Thursday found Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra guilty of intentionally avoiding a tax payment of Bt546 million for the transfer of 4.5 million shares of the Shinawatra Computer and Communications' shares worth Bt738 million.

Also found guilty in the historic trial are Pojaman's adopted brother Bannaphot Damapong and her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern.

The court sentenced Pojaman and Bannaphot each to 3 years in jail.

[tracer]

More arrest warrants sought for Thaksin, wife

BANGKOK – Thai authorities are expected to obtain additional arrest warrants for deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Pojaman, shortly on charges of concealing their stock portions of SC Asset Corp, said Department of Special Investigation chief Sunai Manomai-udom.

The deposed prime minister, who has remained in England since last year's military coup, along with his spouse, had been scheduled for Friday (August 17) to hear formal charges involving their SC Asset Corp stock holdings from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

However, the couple are thought now not to show up anytime soon and, for that reason, arrest warrants would be sought from the court so that the Office of Attorney General will take steps to have the former prime minister returned to Thailand from England by extradition just as in the case of the Ratchadaphisek land transaction, according to the DSI chief.

Three other defendants, namely Yingluck Shinawatra, Busaba Damapong and Pensome Damapong, are also obliged to hear formal charges over the SC Asset scandal on Friday. Arrest warrants will likely be issued should those persons, who are closely connected with the deposed prime minister and his spouse, fail to show up as well, he said.

The DSI chief had said earlier that Mr. Thaksin, while serving in the Cabinet of an earlier government, and his wife, had secretly owned stocks through nominee companies in SC Asset, a real estate company operated by the Shinawatra family.

The couple allegedly violated regulations requiring them to disclose corporate information to the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Mr. Thaksin was also charged with holding shares in publicly listed companies despite a prohibition against serving Cabinet members to do so.

If found guilty, the ex-premier and his wife face a maximum jail term of five years and a fine equivalent to twice the value of the shares they had traded.

- MCOT

never going to happen ,never coming back under this government ,maybe the next if there his mates .........

I would agree but WHY does the court not order them picked up, locked up so they cannot run away??????

They can kick me out of a country (depending on circumstances) if I can keep a few billion baht....

[tracer]

Thaksin's wife awaits verdict

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The wife of ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra awaited a court's verdict Thursday on whether she evaded millions of dollars in taxes, the first and long-awaited ruling in several corruption cases against his inner circle.

Pojaman Shinawatra faces 14 years in prison if convicted, though she is widely expected to appeal any guilty verdict.

- Associated Press

So why does she get ONLY 3 years????

[sriracha john]

Democrats Urge DSI and SEC to Disapprove Drop of SC Asset Case

The Democrat Party urged the Department of Special Investigation and the stock regulation panel to oppose the Attorney-General's Office's drop of the share concealment charge against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, citing that its decision is implausible.

Deputy leader of the opposition Democrat party, Korn Jatikawanit says the Attorney-General's Office's ruling not to pursue the case against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for filing a false shareholding structure of his SC Asset Corporation is not plausible and it cannot refute the complaint previously filed by the Department of Special Investigation or DSI.

Korn therefore urges the DSI and Security and Exchange Commission to oppose the decision by the OAG, otherwise the Democrats will file a complaint against the office for dereliction of duties. The Democrat deputy leader continued to say the DSI's formation of a panel to investigate the OAG's performance is only an attempt to avoid public criticism.

Korn stated that the government's stance to stay in office further is intended to help Thaksin and his family escape the charges they are facing, particularly the cases under the DSI's supervision.

In addition, Korn stated that he is satisfied with the Ombudsman's ruling against the selection of the Bank of Thailand's Board after three of its seven members were found to have conflicts of interests as they hold posts in private financial institutions.

Those members were also said to be close to Thaksin as they were appointed to the post by former Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, seen as Thaksin's right-hand man.

The ruling also forces the finance minister to nullify his appointment of the BOT's expert panel and the prime minister must delay his plan to submit the list of its board members for His Majesty the King's royal endorsement.

Korn insisted the government must follow the Ombudsmen's ruling or his party will file a complaint with the Administrative Court.

- TOC / 2008-10-16

[sriracha john]

Korn Chatikavanija, deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, yesterday disagreed with the decision of public prosecutors not to pursue a case against Thaksin and Pojaman for failing to properly report their shareholdings in their family company SC Asset Corporation.

He said the prosecutors' argument not to indict the couple and two others in the case was not convincing and did not clear the allegation made by the Department of Special Investigation.

In dropping the case, prosecutors explained on Wednesday that Thaksin and Pojaman had conducted their share transactions through a fund run by Thanachart Securities and therefore they should not be held responsible for the fund's failure to report on their share transactions.

Korn said yesterday that it was obvious to the opposition that the Shinawatras viewed the case as the most serious threat.

"People in power are trying to defend the Shinawatra family and they won't allow this case to reach a court. It is because this is the only case in which investigation and indictment was not made by the Assets Examination Committee," Korn said.

He added that even though a constitutional amendment in the future could repeal the AEC's legitimacy, the SC Asset case would not be affected.

Korn also pointed out that the transfer of DSI director-general Sunai Manomai-udom, who was in charge of the SC Asset case from the beginning, shortly after the pro-Thaksin People Power Party came to power, was an obvious indicator about the threat of the case to the Shinawatras.

The DSI is now to consider whether to appeal the public prosecutors' decision. If there is an appeal, the case will be forwarded to the attorney-general to make the final decision.

Korn said yesterday that if the attorney-general sided with the prosecutors, the opposition would take up the case with the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC).

"We will ask the NCCC to determine whether there is any malfeasance or dereliction of duty as far as the public prosecutors are concerned," said the opposition MP.

Meanwhile, DSI director-general Thawee Sodsong yesterday said he did not think the prosecutors were swayed by political influence.

"Public prosecutors are part of independent organisations under the Constitution. And those in charge of this case are senior prosecutors," he said.

Thawee also said that the DSI had received the formal decision from the prosecutors and would later consider whether to insist on the DSI's original stance. He added that such a task would normally take no longer than 20 days.

- The Nation / 2008-10-17

[sriracha john]

Democrat deputy leader Korn Chatikavanij said yesterday the Attorney-General's Office would be negligent if it failed to review its decision not to indict Thaksin and his wife in connection with their shareholding in SC Asset Corp. They were accused by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) of failing to inform the Securities and Exchange Commission of large share transactions in the firm. The DSI can ask the Attorney-General to review the decision. Mr Korn said those in power were trying to protect the Shinawatras. "They cannot let the case enter the justice process because it is the only one not taken up by the Assets Scrutiny Committee. The government can amend the charter to nullify the ASC, but it cannot do anything with this case, which has been investigated by the DSI and the SEC,'' he said. Former DSI chief Sunai Manomai-udom was among the first to be axed after the People Power Party won the Dec 23 general election.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/171008_News/17Oct2008_news04.php

[sriracha john]

Democrat MP puts Thaksin prosecutor on scrutiny

Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij Tuesday petitioned that an investigation be started to see if the chief prosecutor had abused his power by deciding to not prosecute former PM Thaksin Shinawatra on the SC Asset case.

Korn asked the National Counter Corruption Commission to investigate Seksan Bangsomboon and find out if he had made a prejudiced decision in favour of Thaksin.

He claimed that Seksan had failed to justify why he had overruled the report prepared by the Department of Special Investigation, which recommended that Thaksin be tried for violating the disclosure rules prescribed by the 1992 Securities and Stock Market Act.

He said Seksan's arguments were unclear and might go against the securities law.

- The Nation / 2008-10-28

[Plus]

I don't really understand that case - it looks like Thaksin and his family can avoid the prosecution because it's the "accountant's fault", they have nothing to do with hiding their shareholding structure, it was their broker.

Very interesting position. Dog ate my homework.

[hammered]

Democrat MP puts Thaksin prosecutor on scrutiny

Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij Tuesday petitioned that an investigation be started to see if the chief prosecutor had abused his power by deciding to not prosecute former PM Thaksin Shinawatra on the SC Asset case.

Korn asked the National Counter Corruption Commission to investigate Seksan Bangsomboon and find out if he had made a prejudiced decision in favour of Thaksin.

He claimed that Seksan had failed to justify why he had overruled the report prepared by the Department of Special Investigation, which recommended that Thaksin be tried for violating the disclosure rules prescribed by the 1992 Securities and Stock Market Act.

He said Seksan's arguments were unclear and might go against the securities law.

- The Nation / 2008-10-28

In all honesty even the most ardent Thaksin supporters I know acknowledge that their government is doing everything they can to disappear as many of the charges as possible by such things as putting their people in places such as the DSI. It is better to disappear the strongest cases and leave the weaker. Then there is the constitutional ammendment.....