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Thailand steps up legal moves against Thaksin family |
Thailand's Assets Scrutiny Committee has resolved to take legal
action against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's family
members for refusing to appear to testify before the panel.
ASC secretary Kaewsan Atiphothi said the panel planned to file a
lawsuit under the National Counter Corruption Commission Act
against Potjaman Shinawatra, wife of the deposed prime minister,
and her son, Panthongtae Shinawatra, as well as Busaba Damapong and
Kanchanapha Honghern, because they failed to testify this month
over the Ratchadaphisek land purchase several years ago.
The Shinawatra family members, who had earlier claimed they would
defend themselves only in court and preferred not to deal with the
ASC, might be fined a maximum of Bt10,000 (334 dollars) or
sentenced to a maximum of six months in jail, if found guilty under
Thailand's counter-corruption laws.
During Mr. Thaksin's premiership, Khunying Potjaman allegedly
bought the land at an unusually low price from the Office of the
Rehabilitation Fund for Financial Institutions.
The Shinawatra family had earlier claimed to defend themselves only
in court trials and preferred not to deal with the panel.
Meanwhile, the ASC has ordered the freezing of another Bt1.6
billion in bank accounts held by the Shinawatra's family and
relatives. The Shinawatra family's latest frozen fortune was held
at several bank accounts by Bannaphot Damapong, Potjaman's
stepbrother.
A total of Bt64 billion in bank accounts held by Mr. Thaksin's
family members and relatives have been foreclosed so far, following
last year's Bt73 billion sale of their Shin Corp stocks to
Singapore's Temasek Holdings.
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