Thaksin Accused By Assets Examination Committee On Deals

[Jai Dee]

Prosecutors going after Thaksin in the UK

Prosecutors are planning a trip to the UK on Friday aimed at getting ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Potjaman to return to Thailand to face charges of corruption against them.

The pair are currently embroiled in a land controversy on Ratchadaphisek road worth 772 million baht while Mr Thaksin was still the prime minister of Thailand.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

[Jai Dee]

Shinawatra lawyer may file lawsuit against AEC

Mr. Noppadon Pattama (นพดล ปัทมะ), the legal adviser to the Shinawatra (ชินวัตร) family, is preparing to file a lawsuit against the Assets Examination Committee (AEC), if it decides to file criminal charges against Ms. Pinthongta (พิณทองทา) Shinawatra for her refusal to testify about the Shin Corp share case yesterday (October 9th). He would accuse the AEC for giving false charges against his client.

Mr. Noppadon reasons that Ms. Pinthongta, the daughter of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had previously clarified to the AEC several times. The lawyer says Ms. Pinthongta had always cooperated with the AEC, but the committee is calling for Ms. Pinthongta to testify too frequently. He says the cooperation between both sides is now over.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 10 October 2007

[Tony Clifton]

Shinawatra lawyer may file lawsuit against AEC

Mr. Noppadon Pattama (นพดล ปัทมะ), the legal adviser to the Shinawatra (ชินวัตร) family, is preparing to file a lawsuit against the Assets Examination Committee (AEC), if it decides to file criminal charges against Ms. Pinthongta (พิณทองทา) Shinawatra for her refusal to testify about the Shin Corp share case yesterday (October 9th). He would accuse the AEC for giving false charges against his client.

Mr. Noppadon reasons that Ms. Pinthongta, the daughter of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had previously clarified to the AEC several times. The lawyer says Ms. Pinthongta had always cooperated with the AEC, but the committee is calling for Ms. Pinthongta to testify too frequently. He says the cooperation between both sides is now over.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 10 October 2007

Nice spin. What have they done so far that could be called cooperating?

[sriracha john]

Shinawatra lawyer may file lawsuit against AEC

Mr. Noppadon Pattama (นพดล ปัทมะ), the legal adviser to the Shinawatra (ชินวัตร) family, is preparing to file a lawsuit against the Assets Examination Committee (AEC), if it decides to file criminal charges against Ms. Pinthongta (พิณทองทา) Shinawatra for her refusal to testify about the Shin Corp share case yesterday (October 9th). He would accuse the AEC for giving false charges against his client.

Mr. Noppadon reasons that Ms. Pinthongta, the daughter of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had previously clarified to the AEC several times. The lawyer says Ms. Pinthongta had always cooperated with the AEC, but the committee is calling for Ms. Pinthongta to testify too frequently. He says the cooperation between both sides is now over.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 10 October 2007

Requesting three delays, for the most marginal of causes, is not exactly construed as "cooperated"

[John K]

SJ I see the problem here as it is all relative perception. For Thaksin even to bother to actually listen to someone else, he considers that cooperation. He never listed to anyone when he was PM, so even to send someone is over and above the call of duty for him. He is much too busy counting the Thais money he now calls his own to be bothered.

[thedude]

yawn, this is all so boring, no wonder only 3 or 4 diehards left posting on this thread. they should move on to more current scandals, such as the alleged Surayud land grab in today's news.

can't wait to read everyone's reaction when Thaksin fails to be held accountable for anything at the end of the day.

[John K]

yawn, this is all so boring, no wonder only 3 or 4 diehards left posting on this thread. they should move on to more current scandals, such as the alleged Surayud land grab in today's news.

Perhaps once that becomes an issue. For now all I see is someone trying to make something out of nothing for some sort of political gain. Apparently there are no boundary markers, signs or whatever to indicate one way or another if the land in question is on a reserve. If that is the case then he simply becomes a victim of neglect caused by others. Non issue at this point I am afraid.

[younghusband]

yawn, this is all so boring, no wonder only 3 or 4 diehards left posting on this thread. they should move on to more current scandals, such as the alleged Surayud land grab in today's news.

Perhaps once that becomes an issue. For now all I see is someone trying to make something out of nothing for some sort of political gain. Apparently there are no boundary markers, signs or whatever to indicate one way or another if the land in question is on a reserve. If that is the case then he simply becomes a victim of neglect caused by others. Non issue at this point I am afraid.

I don't think there's much doubt that the attack on Surayud for acquiring land illegally (and I hasten to add I have no idea whether he did or didn't) is clearly politically motivated.The attack on Thaksin is similarly politically motivated as any honest observer would agree, again without any inside knowledge of the AEC case.Both are examples of abuses, again if that is ever demonstrated, that are minor in nature to countless unpunished illegalities and acts of corruption in Thailand that do not have a political context.But it's interesting to see the juntophiles rush to the defence of the current government when obviously they have no more inside information on the alleged offence than anyone else.One wonders what it would take for them to take a more independent position?

My own view? I have always liked Surayud (not least for his modest gentlemanly demeanour) and my guess would be that if there was an offence it was mainly because of muddle and lack of thought.Still I do sometimes wonder how poorly paid military officers and civil servants in Thailand acquire the huge assets, in comparison to their equivalents in say the UK, that enable them to make such significant investments.The pavlovian "kin muang" retort is too simplistic and I am genuinely puzzled.

Edited October 11, 2007 by younghusband

[sriracha john]

move on to more current scandals, such as the alleged Surayud land grab in today's news.

If you click on this link:

General Topics

then go to the right side and click on this icon (located on the right side):

you can start up the discussion yourself.

After doing so and if you have a particular news article on the issue, you may wish to click on this link:

The moderating team

and after selecting one, click on this icon (located on the left side):

and ask nicely if they would move your new thread from General Forum to the News Clipping Forum.

[younghusband]

move on to more current scandals, such as the alleged Surayud land grab in today's news.

If you click on this link:

General Topics

then go to the right side and click on this icon (located on the right side):

you can start up the discussion yourself.

After doing so and if you have a particular news article on the issue, you may wish to click on this link:

The moderating team

and after selecting one, click on this icon (located on the left side):

and ask nicely if they would move your new thread from General Forum to the News Clipping Forum.

You should be aware Dude that the juntophiles will always look for a procedural device usually as in this instance with studied politeness but underlying sarcasm, when their junta or puppet government heroes come under criticism.I'm reminded of Orwell's comments that his Stalinist opponents who hated his books never tackled the subject matter head on but always found some side issue to criticise (eg poor writing style, notwithstanding that Orwell was one of the clearest writers of his age).It's true that on this forum it's useful to keep on topic but interesting digressions are always welcome, particularly of the "compare and contrast" variety.I think the mods have this well in hand.

[sriracha john]

I'm not defending anything except forum protocol and doing so in a helpful manner and I look forward to the new thread, whoever starts it, be it thedude or younghusband, if he's so inclined.

What's the time-line for Surayud's obtaining the property?

What is the evidence?

Who all was involved?

See? Lots of potential there for a lively and informative discussion on a new thread...and all unrelated to this thread.

[jackspratt]

You should be aware Dude that the juntophiles will always look for a procedural device usually as in this instance with studied politeness but underlying sarcasm, when their junta or puppet government heroes come under criticism.I'm reminded of Orwell's comments that his Stalinist opponents who hated his books never tackled the subject matter head on but always found some side issue to criticise (eg poor writing style, notwithstanding that Orwell was one of the clearest writers of his age).It's true that on this forum it's useful to keep on topic but interesting digressions are always welcome, particularly of the "compare and contrast" variety.I think the mods have this well in hand.

From a neutralphile.

If it is important enough to attract your attention, surely it is worthy of its own thread - so as not to confuse matters with Thaksin's transgressions.

This will allow the corruptophiles to mount their own attacks on the juntophiles - supported of course by strong and reasoned argument. If their attention span last that long of course.

[blaze]

You should be aware Dude that the juntophiles will always look for a procedural device usually as in this instance with studied politeness but underlying sarcasm, when their junta or puppet government heroes come under criticism.I'm reminded of Orwell's comments that his Stalinist opponents who hated his books never tackled the subject matter head on but always found some side issue to criticise (eg poor writing style, notwithstanding that Orwell was one of the clearest writers of his age).It's true that on this forum it's useful to keep on topic but interesting digressions are always welcome, particularly of the "compare and contrast" variety.I think the mods have this well in hand.

From a neutralphile.

If it is important enough to attract your attention, surely it is worthy of its own thread - so as not to confuse matters with Thaksin's transgressions.

This will allow the corruptophiles to mount their own attacks on the juntophiles - supported of course by strong and reasoned argument. If their attention span last that long of course.

Anyone who detests the power to shape society being seized by a small group of very well armed men is a supporter of corruption? And you call yourself a 'neutrophile'?

Nothing happens in this or any other country in a vaccuum. It is impossible to talk about Thaksin's alleged corruption without looking at the context in which his misdeeds occurred- if they occurred in a context so rife with corruption that even those angels sent from the heavens to purge him are dirty- then maybe we should be asking just why it is that Thaksin is being accused by the AEC which is the title of this thread. And to do so we have to understand why any one in politics is accused of anything in this country.

Edited October 11, 2007 by blaze

[jackspratt]

You should be aware Dude that the juntophiles will always look for a procedural device usually as in this instance with studied politeness but underlying sarcasm, when their junta or puppet government heroes come under criticism.I'm reminded of Orwell's comments that his Stalinist opponents who hated his books never tackled the subject matter head on but always found some side issue to criticise (eg poor writing style, notwithstanding that Orwell was one of the clearest writers of his age).It's true that on this forum it's useful to keep on topic but interesting digressions are always welcome, particularly of the "compare and contrast" variety.I think the mods have this well in hand.

From a neutralphile.

If it is important enough to attract your attention, surely it is worthy of its own thread - so as not to confuse matters with Thaksin's transgressions.

This will allow the corruptophiles to mount their own attacks on the juntophiles - supported of course by strong and reasoned argument. If their attention span last that long of course.

Anyone who detests the power to shape society being seized by a small group of very well armed men is a supporter of corruption? And you call yourself a 'neutrophile'?

Nothing happens in this or any other country in a vaccuum. It is impossible to talk about Thaksin's alleged corruption without looking at the context in which his misdeeds occurred- if they occurred in a context so rife with corruption that even those angels sent from the heavens to purge him are dirty- then maybe we should be asking just why it is that Thaksin is being accused by the AEC which is the title of this thread. And to do so we have to understand why any one in politics is accused of anything in this country.

No - I called myself a neutralphile.

My post was not about the rights or wrongs of the coup, or Thaksin's corruption (alleged is an abuse of the language), its context, the AEC, etc etc.

It was about opening a new post to make allegations about Surayud. Quite simple really.

[John K]

I find it interesting that there is no discernable difference in the flavor of the so called pro junta posters posts before or after the coup. Apparently there is a error in diagnoses of juntophile as there is no clear defining symptom.

[sriracha john]

ASC: Thaksin's aide "unusually rich"

Noppadon Pattama will soon find himself answering to a fact-finding committee under the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) investigating on Thaksin Shinawatra's controversial sale of Shin Corp shares. Latest findings show that Thaksin's trusted legal advisor has had an unusual amount of money transferred into his bank account. According to Sak Korsangruang, a key ASC leader in the investigation, up to 100 million baht was found to have been transferred to an account owned by Noppadon. "We believe we will find all about the source of the money when he makes a statement on October 25," he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=122629

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

The stalwart of the legal profession, Noppadope, acting as nothing more than a common "bag man".... albeit, it's a large bag.

[younghusband]

I find it interesting that there is no discernable difference in the flavor of the so called pro junta posters posts before or after the coup. Apparently there is a error in diagnoses of juntophile as there is no clear defining symptom.

The defining juntophile symptom is intellectual dishonesty because while there are many legitimate grievances against Thaksin, the supporters of the military coup refuse to acknowledge the incompetence,corruption and dishonesty of the military officers involved and their quisling government.This <edit> approach is not shared by many of the more thoughtful Thai opponents of Thaksin who are agonised by developments in the last year.On this forum there are one or two thoughtful voices of those who supported the coup but understand its ambiguities and failures, but sadly they are a minority.

Edited October 14, 2007 by Totster
Flame removed

[Tony Clifton]

And what will become of juntophiles once there's been an election?

One thing is for sure, Thaksinistas will still be around.

[John K]

Well it seems Mr. N. Will be questioning himself about Mr. T and perhaps file a lawsuit against the ASC for good measure.

[sriracha john]

Things are coming to head...

In another case related to the ousted Prime Minister, the AEC's sub-committee probing the approval of the four billion baht loan to the Burmese government by Thailand's Export and Import Bank will propose that the AEC's general assembly file charges against Thaksin.

The AEC has found that Thaksin abused his power to approve the loan to Burma to benefit his family's telecommunication businesses, as the Burmese government spent part of the loan on buying telecommunication equipment from Shin Satellite, and the Shinawatra clan is a major shareholder of the corporation.

According to the AEC, approval of the loan to Burma can be considered a conflict of interest.

- Thailand Outlook

[sriracha john]

a dirty finger in every pot...

'War room' set up ahead of grilling

Directors allegedly profited from deal

Former directors of TOT boards have unofficially set up a "war room" to prepare for questioning by investigators looking into the affairs of deposed PM Thaksin Shinawatra, his family and the telecom business he founded. The executives want to defend themselves in the event the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) links previous TOT boards to deals that benefited the Shin Corp empire at the expense of the state telecom enterprise. A former TOT director confirmed that the ASC was focusing on the Thaksin government's conversion of part of the concession fees paid by mobile operators to an excise tax, which allegedly enriched Shin's cellular flagship, Advanced Info Service. The ASC sees the move as an abuse of authority and a violation of the law and therefore wants the directors' testimony to indict the former prime minister. The former director said that TOT's own investigations had calculated the financial damage inflicted on TOT from agreements with Shin companies at almost 100 billion baht, and forwarded its findings to the ASC. The source said that several former directors and ministers had already testified before the ASC, raising concern that some testimony might contradict other versions.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/15Oct2007_biz23.php

[sriracha john]

Like so many of Thaksin's schemes... poorly thought out... rushed through... and corruptively administered...

Dropouts force big rethink of ODOS

Minister says scheme cannot go on like this

The new version of the One District One Scholarship (ODOS) project will draw up stricter rules for its scholars after nearly 100 students from the project's first two years gave up their decision to pursue an overseas degree and returned to Thailand.

"We may make it a rule that scholars must enroll at top universities and in programmes that respond to the country's needs," Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn said yesterday. He said such a rule would ensure that the money was well spent.

Launched by the previous administration, the ODOS project has found that many scholars from its first batch were struggling overseas.

In addition to some 90 students heading back to Thailand, 160 others were unsure whether they could complete their overseas undergraduate courses.

About 96 other grantees will also need more time than usual to complete their courses.

When asked why the students could not live up to expectations, Wijit said scholars in their first year were not properly prepared as they were rushed into going abroad.

"Some are children of political canvassers," he added, hinting that they might not be the cream of the provinces.

Wijit said most of the students who had returned to Thailand had now chosen to pursue a university degree in social sciences at private universities in Thailand. "This is not the field the country needs," he said.

Since the interim government came to power late last year, it has renamed the ODOS project the Community Development Scholarship project.

The project will reduce the number of scholars each year and will search for more "qualified" candidates.

Wijit has now asked the Office of the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Higher Education Commission to draw up detailed reports on the scholars' choices of higher-educational institutes and their fields of study.

"It will not be worth it if the scholars enroll in unwanted courses at substandard institutes," he said.

He said the scholarships were intended to ensure that brilliant students received education at great institutes so that they could make a contribution to the country's development.

Although the scholarship does not require the students to offer their services to the government after their graduation, they are required to return to Thailand.

- The Nation

UPDATE

Scholarship rules to get tougher

A new version of the One District One Scholarship scheme will strip grantees of the right to grants if they fail to continue their education at well-known institutes overseas.

Launched two years ago by the previous administration, the scheme has already seen some 90 recipients returning to Thailand after struggling overseas.

"Grantees in the third batch will not be allowed to come back and continue their education in Thailand because the objective is to get bright students studying at great institutes," Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an said yesterday.

He said this condition would ensure scholarship spending was effective.

The scheme has been renamed the Community Development Scholarship.

Grantees must complete secondary education, have excellent academic performance and come from poor families.

The government reviewed the scheme after several grantees returned to Thailand. However, it agreed the scheme should be adjusted and continued.

Although the objective of giving bright students from poor families overseas education opportunities remains, there are new conditions in the revamped scheme.

"It will provide 432 scholarships each year," Wijit said yesterday. The number of scholarships is much lower.

According to Wijit, each of 178 education service areas will select two recipients while each province except Bangkok will select one vocational student for the scheme. The recipients must choose to continue higher education abroad in non-English-speaking countries. They must enrol at respected institutes on a list compiled by the Office of the Civil Service Commission.

Wijit said the non-English-speaking-country requirement existed because many students already studied in English-speaking countries.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

DSI hands over airport graft cases

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has sent its findings on five cases of alleged corruption at Suvarnabhumi airport to the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC). Col Piyawat Kingket, chief of the department's bureau for special criminal cases, said yesterday the cases involved duty-free shops and commercial space at the terminal, the airport security service contract, luggage trolley procurement, the limousine taxi contract, a power supply system and the air-bridge service contract. All involved government officials.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Oct2007_news07.php

[Jai Dee]

Thaksin lawyer testifies to ASC

Noppadon Pattama, legal adviser of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, went to testify to the Assets Scrutiny Committee on Thursday on a large sum of money that has been transferred into his bank account.

Mr Noppadon said the money transferred into his account is payment for him as lawyer of the Shinawatra family.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

[Tony Clifton]

Thaksin lawyer testifies to ASC

Noppadon Pattama, legal adviser of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, went to testify to the Assets Scrutiny Committee on Thursday on a large sum of money that has been transferred into his bank account.

Mr Noppadon said the money transferred into his account is payment for him as lawyer of the Shinawatra family.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

He also denied to answer what evidence he brought to prove that he earned the money transparently.

[hammered]

Thaksin lawyer testifies to ASC

Noppadon Pattama, legal adviser of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, went to testify to the Assets Scrutiny Committee on Thursday on a large sum of money that has been transferred into his bank account.

Mr Noppadon said the money transferred into his account is payment for him as lawyer of the Shinawatra family.

More from the Bangkok Post here.

That should be very easy for him to prove. I am sure his work and remuneration are properly accounted. Then this line of investigation can be rapidly brought to conclusion.

[Jai Dee]

OAG to request UK to send deposed PM back to Thailand

Director-General of the Office of International Affairs under the Office of Attorney-General (OAG), Samphan Sarathana (สัมพันธ์ สาระธนะ), discloses that a working group responsible for tracking deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra will request UK’s Ministry of Interior to cooperate with Thailand in extraditing him back to the country.

According to the director-general, the Criminal Court’s Division for Persons Holding Political Positions has issued arrest warrants to Mr Thaksin and wife Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra, the alleged people in the Ratchadaphisek (รัชดาภิเษก) land deal case. The office is preparing documents and key witnesses to request extraditions of the former premier and wife.

The director-general says the witnesses’ testimonies given to the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) will be translated from Thai to English before submitting them to UK’s Ministry of Interior and prosecutors.

Mr Samphan adds that the office will accelerate in preparing relevant documents but cannot affirm whether they will be completed within this year.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 October 2007

[sriracha john]

Thaksin wants ASC member removed

Ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s lawyers presented court evidence to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) in an effort to remove Assets Scrutiny Committee spokesman Sak Korsaengruang from his post.

Thaksin’s team claimed their request to remove Mr Sak was to maintain the holiness of laws and to set standards to people of the new generation.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=122972

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

hahaha... that Thaksin fella and his lawyers are such cut-ups.... always joking around....

[John K]

One thing for certain, Thaksin is a bit like a dividing rod, when he makes noise you are getting close to something he does not want you to find. If Thaksin holds such high respect for the holiness of the law, why is he not here to answer the charges.

[sriracha john]

Unusual cash transfers detected

The Bank of Thailand has detected unusual transfers of money into bank accounts of a former executive of the New Bangkok International Airport Co (NBIA). This has prompted an Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) sub-panel investigating alleged corruption in the procurement of the CTX bomb scanners for Suvarnabhumi airport to ask it to trace the money trail thoroughly. The NBIA was a subsidiary of Airports of Thailand that supervised Suvarnabhumi airport's construction. A source said officials of the central bank had reported to the ASC's sub-panel that they had detected unusual transfers of huge amounts of money into accounts held by a former NBIA executive. The panel has asked the bank to find out from which accounts the money was transferred. The central bank has also been asked to check the accounts of four or five people, including politicians, suspected to have been involved in the CTX luggage-scanner scandal. The ASC has already filed criminal charges against deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Suriya and 21 other officials for dishonest performance of duties involving the hiring of inexperienced contractors and accepting overpriced quotations. Mr Suriya was asked to defend himself against the charges, but he has failed to show up.

Continued here:

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

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

He still hasn't shown up????

... anyone with a bleeding rectum for that long would need transfusions....

UPDATE

it would seem that the AEC has had enough of his bleeding rectum...

Suriya Jungrungreangkit

Suriya has until Wednesday to defend corruption charges : AEC

The Assets Examination Committee's indictment panel has set a final deadline for Wednesday for former Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit to testify in his defence for involvement in the irregularities relating to the electrification of Suvarnabhumi Airport.

"Suriya appears unwilling to defend himself as he has kept delaying to testify many times," panel chairwoman Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka said Saturday.

Jaruvan said she could complete her indictment hearing and spell out charges based on available evidence even if Suriya refused to cooperate.

With or without Suriya's testimony, the panel will complete its report recommending indictments by December, she said.

- The Nation