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Thai police Tuesday ordered exiled former prime minister Thaksin
Shinawatra 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 (HK$1.8 billion) 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 - then a Shinawatra family real estate company.
The company's market capitalization as of Monday was about 3.05
billion baht.
Sunai said they must present themselves to police between June
26 and 29.
If they refuse to attend, said Sunai, "we will issue an arrest
warrant." The case had nothing to do with politics, he added.
The order gives Thaksin a deadline for returning home for the
first time since he was ousted in a bloodless September 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 sale
last year of telecommunications company Shin Corp to Singapore
state investment agency Temasek 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 General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said the former
prime minister might be harmed by his enemies if he returned to
Thailand now.
But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said 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," he said.
"I want everything to proceed according to the justice
system."
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 discuss
his options with him.
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