2007-06-19 15:09:05 -
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thai police ordered exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday to return to Thailand to face charges that he concealed his ownership of millions of dollars worth of shares from the Thai stock exchange.
The order that he report by June 29 came just a day after state prosecutors said
they would seek to have him and his wife tried for a suspicious land deal, and an anti-graft panel ordered 8 billion baht (US$245.7 million; ¤183.2 million) more of his assets frozen.
Thaksin became a billionaire in the telecommunications sector before entering politics and serving as prime minister in 2001-2006.
Sunai Manomaiudom, director-general of the Department of Special Investigations, said police had strong evidence that Thaksin and his wife had secretly held shares through nominee companies in SC Asset Corp. PCL _ then a Shinawatra family real estate company. The company's market capitalization as of Monday was about 3.05 billion baht (US$94.5 million; ¤70.5 million).
Sunai said they must present themselves to police between June 26 and June 29.
«If he intentionally refuses to come, we will issue an arrest warrant,» said Sunai, who added that the case had nothing to do with politics.
The order gives Thaksin a deadline for returning home for the first time since he was ousted in a bloodless Sep. 19, 2006 coup while he was in New York. He has divided his time since then between a residence in London and travel around Asia. His wife and other family members continue to live in Thailand, but frequently travel abroad.
Thaksin was ousted after demonstrations calling for him to step down because of alleged corruption and abuse of power. Another business deal by his family, the 73.3 billion baht (US$1.9 billion; ¤1.55 billion at January 2006 rates of exchange) sale last year of telecommunications company Shin Corp. to a Singapore state investment company contributed to public discontent.
The military has strongly discouraged Thaksin's return, fearing it will cause political instability by rallying his loyalists. Last week, army commander Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin said the former prime minister might be harmed by his enemies if he returned to Thailand now.
But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told reporters Tuesday that the government would ensure Thaksin's safety if he returned.
«He has the right to explain and he should be considered innocent for now. I want everything to proceed according to the justice system,» he said.
Thaksin's lawyer and de facto spokesman in Thailand, Noppadol Pattama, was unable to confirm the former prime minister's plans, saying security was just one concern and that his lawyers would have to discuss his options with him.
Thaksin, his wife Pojamarn, and her sister-in-law Bussaba Damapong _ a former SC Asset executive _ were charged with violating regulations requiring disclosure of corporate information to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
Sunai said they and other family members controlled 79.87 percent of SC Asset _ including an undisclosed 19.05 percent held through hard-to-trace nominee companies _ and sold their interests to outside parties last year.
Thaksin and his wife are charged with violating disclosure rules by failing to report the sale of shares they controlled _ an offense that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of 500,000 baht (US$15,500; ¤11,600).
Bussaba was charged with providing false information in filings to the stock exchange, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Sunai said police also found evidence that Thaksin violated a law on Cabinet members holding company shares, which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a 1 million baht (US$31,000; ¤23,000) fine. Serving ministers are not allowed to hold more than 5 percent of company shares or to be involved in company management.
Thaksin's lawyer, Noppadol declined to comment on the charges.
Sunai said police would forward their evidence on that charge to the National Counter-Corruption Commission, which could recommend prosecution.
On Monday, state prosecutors announced their plan to submit a criminal case to the courts over Pojamarn's 2003 purchase of some prime Bangkok real estate from the Financial Institutions Development Fund, which was established to handle assets of insolvent companies after the 1997 financial crisis.
Thaksin and his wife will face charges of conflict of interest and malfeasance in connection with the deal. An anti-corruption law bars prime ministers or their spouses from doing business with a government agency, and the committee said Thaksin ultimately oversaw the FIDF when he was prime minister.
Also Monday, an anti-graft panel ordered 8 billion baht (US$245.7 million; ¤183.2 million) in assets belonging to Thaksin's family to be frozen.
The Assets Examination Committee had already frozen 52.88 billion baht (US$1.63 billion; ¤1.22 billion) believed to be proceeds from the Shin Corp. sale.
