BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Supreme Court agreed on Thursday to consider seizing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's 76 billion baht ($2.2 billion) in assets frozen in Thai banks after he was ousted in a 2006 coup.
Prosecutors argued Thaksin had abused his powers during five years in office to enrich his associates and businesses owned by his family, a charge he has denied.
The first court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 25.
The asset seizure case began in July 2007 when a panel of graftbusters appointed by the coup makers ordered Thai banks to freeze Thaksin's domestic accounts.
Thaksin and his wife, Potjaman, fled to England in August this year, saying they could not get a fair trial in Thailand.
In a separate case, Thailand's top anti-graft agency dismissed a petition on Thursday against Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat that could have disqualified him as premier.
Somchai, Thaksin's brother-in-law and the target of a street campaign seeking to unseat him, was accused of dereliction of duty in 2000 when he was a top justice ministry official, an offence that could have forced him to step down.
The National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) said Somchai was not guilty of a criminal offence, but should have faced some disciplinary action.
Thailand has been riven by political conflict for the three years since the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) started its street campaign against Thaksin and his allies, accusing them of corruption, cronyism and threatening the monarchy.
The dispute between the Thaksin camp and the military and royalist elite who despise him has seen a coup, elections and more street protests, but appears to be no nearer a conclusion.
($1 = 34.24 baht)
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3 comments:
assalamualaikum,
when i read this news for first time,i think what kind of a leader he is?a leader must put his people first than himself.protect his people and improving the economy of the country not destroy his own people..i means not using his power to increase his own properties.thats all..thank you.
assalamualaikum,
when i read this news for first time,i think what kind of a leader he is?a leader must put his people first than himself.protect his people and improving the economy of the country not destroy his own people..i means not using his power to increase his own properties.thats all..thank you.
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