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A judge in Thailand has issued warrants for the arrest of the
country's former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and his wife
after the couple - currently living in London - failed to appear in
court to face corruption charges.
Supreme Court judge Tonglor Choam-ngam said the court had
"reason to believe that they are evading prosecution".
He then fixed the next hearing for the case in six weeks
time.
Mr Thaksin, overthrown by a coup last September, has acquired a
high profile in the UK where he has bought Premier League football
club Manchester City.
On Tuesday night he issued a statement which said: "I am aware
of the decision in Thailand. I shall consult with my legal advisers
and make an announcement in due course."
The demonstrations that accompanied Mr Thaksin's ousting last
year focused on allegations of corruption relating to a land deal
in Bangkok in 2003.
It was charges relating to the alleged corruption that he and
his wife were due to answer yesterday.
Officials in Bangkok, where a serious of investigations into Mr
Thaksin's alleged corruption have been carried out by those forces
which ousted him, said they will now seek the extradition of the
former prime minister.
While Mr Thaksin's wife has been travelling in and out of
Thailand he has not and he has shown no interest in returning to
contest elections scheduled for December.
Since moving to Britain Mr Thaksin has maintained a high profile
by buying the Manchester City football team.
"Since he is abroad, we are left with no choice but to ask for
extradition at some point but it's too soon to tell when that
would be," Athapol Yaisavang, a spokesman for the Attorney
General's Office, told the Associated Press.
Mr Thaksin is charged with conflict of interest and dereliction
of duty for personal gain over a deal for a piece of land in
central Bangkok valued at around $25m.
The case involves his wife, Pojamarn, because she is alleged to
have bought the land from the Financial Institutions Development
Fund, which is directed by the central bank.
If convicted the pair face up to three years in jail.
Lawyers for Mr Thaksin, who made billions of dollars in the
telecommunications industry before entering politics, tried to
delay proceedings, arguing that it was not safe for the former
prime minister to travel to Thailand - a point that had previously
been made by the head of the Thai Army earlier this year.
The lawyers also said it was in the interest of national unity
that he not return until after a new election had been held.
But Judge Tonglor rejected such arguments. He claimed Thailand
was a democratic country despite being in a post-coup
situation.
He said he "still has the right and duty to protect people's
lives and properties. A crime against people's lives and
properties is still a criminal offence".
Since June, the military government of Thailand has frozen about
$2bn worth of assets belonging to Mr Thaksin and his family.
The freeze was enforced pending the outcome of other court cases
related to charges of corruption and abuse of power.
After the court ruling, Mr Thaksin's lawyer, Pichit Chuenban,
told reporters: "I have talked with my two clients and we agree
that the best timing for them to return to fight the case is after
the election.
We reiterate that the current situation is still not good for
their safety and we have no desire to see disunity in the
country."
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