The State Of The Cases Against Thaksin

[webfact]

The state of the cases against Thaksin

By Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

Less than a month after Yingluck Shinawatra, younger sister of fugitive former premier Thaksin, took the reins as Thailand's 28th prime minister on August 8, two cases against people closely related to the Shinawatra family have been dropped. Observers, however, are keeping a close watch on several other cases involving the Shinawatras and their associates over the past few years.

The Appeals Court last week overturned the Criminal Court's tax-evasion jail verdict against Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, Thaksin's ex-wife, citing "incomplete" evidence.

Tax claims against Thaksin and Pojaman's children, Pinthongta and Panthongtae, were also dropped earlier in August. Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala revealed that decision, referring to the Revenue Department's move not to appeal the verdict of the Central Tax Court in favour of Panthongtae and Pinthongta.

The court ruled they were not the real owners of the shares, so the department could not collect more than Bt11 billion in tax from them. Thaksin was the real owner of the shares.

However, many cases against Thaksin remain either in court or under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

THEY INCLUDE:

- Illegal issue of two- and three-digit lotteries

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for political office holders has suspended the case, as former premier Thaksin Shinawatra is a fugitive. In 2009, former finance minister Warathep Ratanakorn, former permanent secretary of finance Somjainuk Engtrakul and former Government Lottery Office director Chaiwat Phasokphakdee were sentenced to two years' jail each, but were placed on two years probation. Other suspects, including some then-cabinet members, were found innocent.

- Abuse of power in approving an Exim Bank loan to Burma

Thaksin was alleged to have abused his power as the loan could benefit his family's business, Shin Corp. The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for political office holders has suspended the case because Thaksin is a fugitive.

- Illegal changing of telecommunication concession fees into excise tax

The change allegedly benefited Shin Corp and caused a Bt66-billion loss to the country.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission and the attorney-general are working together on the case.

- Case of terrorism against Thaksin

The Department of Special Investigation submitted the case linking Thaksin to red shirts charged with terrorism related to last year's political turmoil. The case is now before the Criminal Court.

- Malfeasance related to the CTX 9000 bomb scanner scandal

The National Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating the malfeasance case against Thaksin and some of his cabinet members involving alleged corruption in the devices for Suvarnabhumi Airport.

- Malfeasance by allowing a Krung Thai Bank loan approved for a private company

The Assets Examination Committee indicted Thaksin for alleged illegal approval of the bank's Bt9-billion loan to Krisda Mahanakorn while it was a non-performing loan. Thaksin's son Panthongtae was also indicted for accepting dirty money. The case is still with the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

While Thaksin is considered a fugitive from a two-year jail sentence in 2008 - relating to Pojaman's Ratchadaphisek land purchase, it remains to be seen how the remaining cases can proceed while Yingluck is head of the government.

-- The Nation 2011-09-02

[Buchholz]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

[siampolee]

To compound the crimes even more these people who claim to support the ordinary man and woman here in Thailand are still feeding off of of their gullible malleable supporters like leeches, sucking even the financial marrow from their bones with the aim of forcing them into debt bondage to Brother No.1 with Brother No.1 and his regimes policies.

Brother No.1 and the P.T.P. are indeed keeping those food sources fat with empty promises and policies,yet the policies and indeed the actions and the nepotism designed to benefit Brother No.1 and his family and their acolytes are being fast tracked.as are the freedoms and liberties of the individuals who may disagree with what is happening.

An administration overtly backed by self declared vigilantes with their twisted agenda who shout ''Demo(n)cracy", yet such "Demo(n)cracy" is to be their own brand (whitewashes whiter than white) available only to themselves to furnish their own ends and aims..

There are indeed dark times ahead for this country.

Yet still we have the Bob Astles clones here who, like Bob Astles who supported Idi Amin and his despotic regime.

We see these resident clones of Bob Astles doing the same here by supporting and defending a despotic regime with all its blatant nepotism and corruption along with the regimes total disregard for the rule of law and the welfare of the Thai people.

Indeed one is led to wonder why these Bob Astles clones do it, money , power low self esteem, hatred of fellow foreigners who have made their homes and families here, a low .Q perchance ?

Edited September 1, 2011 by siampolee

[janverbeem]

National tourism will peak by the end of this year.

That is when different colour shirts are travelling from throughout the country heading Bangkok,where the civil war has started by that time.

[metisdead]

Posts containing derogatory nick names of well known politicians will be deleted. If you do not want your post to be deleted, use proper names.

[hanuman1]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

[scorecard]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

All true, there are many before t who were/are very corrupt, very ruthless, and more.

There is also the case to say that under the t administration it became unbearable, examples: reverse important ownership laws one day before selling your own company offshore for massive profit, all open for all to see, order the exim bank to loan massive amounts to Myanmar so that they can buy very big ticket equipment form your own family companies, all open, no conscience whatever, and a lot more totally open, and on top, journalists, public servants, the judiciary so intimidated that nobody would dare to ask a question or make a comment.

Edited September 2, 2011 by scorecard

[Buchholz]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

[hanuman1]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration.

[animatic]

These cases are the real reason for his absconding and jumping bail for Rachada.

If he is incarcerated he can not stop being brought into court to answer the charges, and thus let the cases begin in full. Out of the country the cases languish awaiting his first arrival in court on each case. As with PPP and Samak / Somchai administrations, he is waiting for either; quashing the cases from fear of his power, cases timing-out on statutes of limitations, or re-writing the charter to let him off scot free. Negligible chance of any global pardon from above. Those are his only options, short of full dictatorship and absolute control. And he has fine tuned his street army, and made it's leaders immune from typical checks and balances, and added a bully pulpit for their verbal fulmination's and incitements.

Rachada was a cake walk of a jail term served in luxury that someone of his means could ensure when out of the obvious public eye, but it also meant he would be subject to the beck and call of the courts in public and than means more like 10-15 years of jail time for charges he faces, not concurrently either. Essentially death in a golden cage and worse loss of face for all to see. Option; move heaven and earth to regain control and then put the hammer down on enemies to be sure he never HAS to face those charges, and of course call them all political.

With those as his sole options, how fast and how aggressively will he move, leading to the question; what are the options of those who know him for what he is and fear that he can take over absolutely? And what that take over really means to Thailand.

Edited September 2, 2011 by animatic

[kraplung]

Thaksin's regime was not that bad..........compared to Mugabe's.

[Buchholz]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it.

.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Buchholz

[hanuman1]

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it based on the relatively lacking documentation available at the time.

[Buchholz]

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it based on the relatively lacking documentation available at the time.

The absence of which before it coupled with the government administrations existing since, where documentation is available, it brings it back to being the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

[Orac]

Tax claims against Thaksin and Pojaman's children, Pinthongta and Panthongtae, were also dropped earlier in August. Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala revealed that decision, referring to the Revenue Department's move not to appeal the verdict of the Central Tax Court in favour of Panthongtae and Pinthongta.

One would almost assume that the current government had made this decision based on a recent court ruling. Obviously it would not suit The Nations current anti goverment agenda to mention that it was a court decision in 2009 when Korn was in charge of the Finance Ministry that was not appealled.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Orac

[hanuman1]

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it.

.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it based on the relatively lacking documentation available at the time.

The absence of which before it coupled with the government administrations existing since, where documentation is available, it brings it back to being the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Heh? So the absence of documentation to show the extent of corruption of previous governments is an aggravating factor of the level of corruption in Thaksin's government? Hmmm....

That's the problem with using words like 'ever' when making a point. You need an awful lot of evidence to back it up effectively.

[Buchholz]

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it based on the relatively lacking documentation available at the time.

The absence of which before it coupled with the government administrations existing since, where documentation is available, it brings it back to being the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Heh? So the absence of documentation to show the extent of corruption of previous governments is an aggravating factor of the level of corruption in Thaksin's government? Hmmm....

That's the problem with using words like 'ever' when making a point. You need an awful lot of evidence to back it up effectively.

Until such time as any evidence is produced to show otherwise, the administration remains so. Which is not to say it can never be outdone. Perhaps Thaksin, ver. 4.0 will be up to the task.

As for "a lot of evidence"....

In just one of Thaksin's still-pending cases, there's an astounding 50,000 pages of evidence awaiting his return.

THAKSIN CORRUPTION CASE

AEC submits 50,000 pages

The Nation / June 17, 2008

The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) yesterday submitted more than 50,000 pages to the Attorney-General's Office that it says implicates ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, his son Panthongtae, and former board members of Krung Thai Bank (KTB) in alleged loan irregularities extended to the Krisda Mahanakorn Group.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/06/17/headlines/headlines_30075742.php

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

Several other cases also have veritable pallet loads of evidence waiting to come to trial once he returns.

.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Buchholz

[IMA_FARANG]

The Appeals Court last week overturned the Criminal Court's tax-evasion jail verdict against Khunying Pojaman na Pombejra, Thaksin's ex-wife, citing "incomplete" evidence.

Tax claims against Thaksin and Pojaman's children, Pinthongta and Panthongtae, were also dropped earlier in August. Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala revealed that decision, referring to the Revenue Department's move not to appeal the verdict of the Central Tax Court in favour of Panthongtae and Pinthongta.

The court ruled they were not the real owners of the shares, so the department could not collect more than Bt11 billion in tax from them. Thaksin was the real owner of the shares.

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

Strange...as I thought that was the whole point of the case...that THEY were not the real owners of the shares but were simply being used as a way to avoid taxes by Thaksin.

Seems to me that by dropping the case against them, the court simply confirmed the charges against Thaksin himself (again) of deliberately attempting to evade taxes.

But I doubt the current government will see it that way, and is probably working on their spin story to explain to all true believers why Thaksin was never guilty of anything, it was all slander and persecution of him by his political enemies.

[hanuman1]

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be a corrupt government administration to such a level that no other government administration has ever surpassed it based on the relatively lacking documentation available at the time.

The absence of which before it coupled with the government administrations existing since, where documentation is available, it brings it back to being the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Heh? So the absence of documentation to show the extent of corruption of previous governments is an aggravating factor of the level of corruption in Thaksin's government? Hmmm....

That's the problem with using words like 'ever' when making a point. You need an awful lot of evidence to back it up effectively.

Until such time as any evidence is produced to show otherwise, the administration remains so. Which is not to say it can never be outdone. Perhaps Thaksin, ver. 4.0 will be up to the task.

P

.

I see, so where documentation doesn't exist that highlights the corruption of previous governments, it means that corruption didn't take place.

People get a lot of stick in this forum for being as seemingly naive as this.

Let's cut to the chase. You're wrong and I'm right. Since neither of us can prove our position about Thaksin's government being the most corrupt one in Thailand EVER, that's about as effective an argument as there's been in this exchange.

[Buchholz]

The absence of which before it coupled with the government administrations existing since, where documentation is available, it brings it back to being the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

Heh? So the absence of documentation to show the extent of corruption of previous governments is an aggravating factor of the level of corruption in Thaksin's government? Hmmm....

That's the problem with using words like 'ever' when making a point. You need an awful lot of evidence to back it up effectively.

Until such time as any evidence is produced to show otherwise, the administration remains so. Which is not to say it can never be outdone. Perhaps Thaksin, ver. 4.0 will be up to the task.

I see, so where documentation doesn't exist that highlights the corruption of previous governments, it means that corruption didn't take place.

Never said that corruption didn't take place, but did say that there's no evidence it ever exceeded that of the administration in question.

.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Buchholz

[Orac]

Never said that corruption didn't take place, but did say that there's no evidence it ever exceeded that of the administration in question.

.

Since Abhisit admitted in June this year that corruption was "spreading like a neverending plague" this seems to me a clear indication that corruption under the previous goverment was increasing.

[Buchholz]

Never said that corruption didn't take place, but did say that there's no evidence it ever exceeded that of the administration in question.

.

Since Abhisit admitted in June this year that corruption was "spreading like a neverending plague" this seems to me a clear indication that corruption under the previous goverment was increasing.

and perhaps one day, that administration might exceed the sort of cases delineated in the OP, but until such time....

.

[hanuman1]

Heh? So the absence of documentation to show the extent of corruption of previous governments is an aggravating factor of the level of corruption in Thaksin's government? Hmmm....

That's the problem with using words like 'ever' when making a point. You need an awful lot of evidence to back it up effectively.

Until such time as any evidence is produced to show otherwise, the administration remains so. Which is not to say it can never be outdone. Perhaps Thaksin, ver. 4.0 will be up to the task.

I see, so where documentation doesn't exist that highlights the corruption of previous governments, it means that corruption didn't take place.

Never said that corruption didn't take place, but did say that there's no evidence it ever exceeded that of the administration in question.

.

Well, I don't mind admitting that I'm not familiar with the entire body of evidence available that details the corrupt practices of all former governments, but suffice to say, there's probably more attention paid to high level corruption among the media and judicial instruments of Thai society nowadays than there has been before.

[SICHONSTEVE]

To compound the crimes even more these people who claim to support the ordinary man and woman here in Thailand are still feeding off of of their gullible malleable supporters like leeches, sucking even the financial marrow from their bones with the aim of forcing them into debt bondage to Brother No.1 with Brother No.1 and his regimes policies.

Brother No.1 and the P.T.P. are indeed keeping those food sources fat with empty promises and policies,yet the policies and indeed the actions and the nepotism designed to benefit Brother No.1 and his family and their acolytes are being fast tracked.as are the freedoms and liberties of the individuals who may disagree with what is happening.

An administration overtly backed by self declared vigilantes with their twisted agenda who shout ''Demo(n)cracy", yet such "Demo(n)cracy" is to be their own brand (whitewashes whiter than white) available only to themselves to furnish their own ends and aims..

There are indeed dark times ahead for this country.

Yet still we have the Bob Astles clones here who, like Bob Astles who supported Idi Amin and his despotic regime.

We see these resident clones of Bob Astles doing the same here by supporting and defending a despotic regime with all its blatant nepotism and corruption along with the regimes total disregard for the rule of law and the welfare of the Thai people.

Indeed one is led to wonder why these Bob Astles clones do it, money , power low self esteem, hatred of fellow foreigners who have made their homes and families here, a low .Q perchance ?

Wow!!! I'm totally impressed by the pure vitriol you harbour against Thaksin and his cohorts (family members primarily)!!!! I think you hate him more than me and that's really saying something .

He really is abhorent and it pains me to see the Thai people's seeming adulation for him, stemming from a few populist policies a decade or so ago that benefitted no-one, but hoodwinked the majority into thinking that he cared about them!!! I bet he laughs behind their back at how gullible and stupid they were/are (I don't blame them by the way) and manipulates them like a puppeteer for his means and ends only, all to their detriment, not that they realise this.

When will the people wake up from this perpetual nightmare that is Thaksin and see the light??? It is in their hands now and they must right the mistakes of the past and bannish him from their minds, and Thailand, forever, for their own good!!!:jap:

[cup-O-coffee]

The Hutus and Tutsis imposed artificial borders and waged war. Men became criminals over other men's concept of right. Might followed.

The Thaksin affair is much like this. Imposing laws one day that the next day are no longer valid. Things get lost in the interpretations, and what is written, what was written, and what will be written further confuse the issues to the point that any sensible justice is simply not worth the effort it takes to sort it out; and certainly finding objective third parties to do the sorting adds even further to the skewed issue.

If you break the law (a law that has a history of being riddled with corruption and graft, you had better be a good citizen and hurry up and get in line to have your hand slapped, or people will disapprove.

A particular country by subject, as defined by this explanation:

Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties.

Forms of corruption vary, but include bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement. While corruption may facilitate criminal enterprise such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and human trafficking, it is not restricted to these activities.

The activities that constitute illegal corruption differ depending on the country or jurisdiction. For instance, certain political funding practices that are legal in one place may be illegal in another. In some cases, government officials have broad or poorly defined powers, which make it difficult to distinguish between legal and illegal actions. Worldwide, bribery alone is estimated to involve over 1 trillion US dollars annually. A state of unrestrained political corruption is known as a kleptocracy, literally meaning "rule by thieves".

Point being; why single out the one, when the others are just as thick in it as the one they single out. Your logic is skewed. Bringing the one to a skewed form of justice does not serve any purpose other than to waste people's time and resources. The drama is so hypocritical that you can cut it with a knife.

Edited September 2, 2011 by cup-O-coffee

[SICHONSTEVE]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

Substitute the words MOST ABHORENT for best-documented and add 'this country has ever experienced' after this, and that sums it up quite well I think.

Edited September 2, 2011 by SICHONSTEVE

[brianb1944]

A sampling of the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Wow. So you know exactly how corrupt all the others were. Impressive!

I'd say it was the corrupt government with the best-documented misdeeds. Feel free to disagree.

With the best-documentation ever, it has shown itself to be the most corrupt government administration this country has ever seen.

.

Nice riposte

[bhakta]

As per my direct experience with companies who had to pay gigantic sums to Thaksin while he was in power, Thaksin has won the crown as the most corrupt of all past and present Thai PMs. This is a simple reality. But, I am sure every case against him will be dismissed in time's course as long as his sister and his friends continue to rule unencumbered. God save Thailand!

[pepi2005]

Don't worry guys, within the next few weeks it will turn out that all these 'allegations' have been unfair and incorrect and the charges will be dropped.

It will turn out that in fact, Thaksin's government was one of the honest, integer, people-loving and democratic governments this country has EVER SEEN.

Logically, Thaksin will to have 'come back' as the country can not afford to go without such a great and inspiring leader for all Thais!

:jap: :jap: :jap:

[tlansford]

Tax claims against Thaksin and Pojaman's children, Pinthongta and Panthongtae, were also dropped earlier in August. Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala revealed that decision, referring to the Revenue Department's move not to appeal the verdict of the Central Tax Court in favour of Panthongtae and Pinthongta.

One would almost assume that the current government had made this decision based on a recent court ruling. Obviously it would not suit The Nations current anti goverment agenda to mention that it was a court decision in 2009 when Korn was in charge of the Finance Ministry that was not appealled.

Well you are right, that would not support The Nation's anti-government campaign.

Thank you for pointing that out.