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Thailand to probe Thaksin's deal with football club |
Thailand will investigate the source of the "mystery" funds that
ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will use to buy Manchester
City soccer club, the country's finance minister said on Sunday.
Thaksin made an £81.6 million (c.US$160 million) bid to buy
Manchester City on Thursday and the English Premier League club
recommended its shareholders accept Thaksin's bid.
But while he was PM, Thaksin was required by law to declare all his
assets, and none of the declarations disclosed any foreign assets,
Thai finance minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn said.
"So this money which would be used for Manchester City is still a
mystery to Thailand. So I cannot tell where the money will be
coming from," Chalongphob said. "I am sure the asset examination
commission will look at the source of these funds and try to see
whether they are legal funds that were taken out or by other means.
If the deal goes ahead and the money is paid they will try to look
at it. We don't know yet how he is going to finance it. We won't
know until the deal is finalised."
Thaksin, a billionaire who made his fortune in telecommunications
before serving as prime minister from 2001 to 2006, lives in exile
in London. He was charged last week in Thailand with corruption
over a 2003 purchase of government-held prime Bangkok real estate.
The first court hearing is expected on July 10. Several other cases
are pending against him, and corruption investigators have ordered
more than 60 billion baht of Thaksin’s wealth frozen on
suspicion it was gained illicitly. Thaksin has not said whether he
will return to Thailand to face the trial.
Asked if Thailand can guarantee Thaksin's safety if he returns,
Chalongphob said: "I am not in a position to say 100% but in terms
of somebody high-profile like Thaksin, I am sure it would be very
difficult to imagine anything happening to him."
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