BANGKOK — A corruption trial of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife can proceed, despite the fact the couple fled to Britain earlier this week, a court ruled Friday. The Supreme Court rejected a request from lawyers of Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, to suspend the malfeasance and conflict of interest trial. The charges stem from Pojaman's 2003 purchase of a plot of land in central Bangkok from a government agency when Thaksin was the country's prime minister. "The trial must proceed even through the defendant is absent because they earlier agreed to allow the hearing to go on," Thonglor Chomngam, chief of the nine-judge panel, told the court. An anti-corruption law bars prime ministers and their spouses from doing business with government agencies. But there is some dispute over whether the law applies in this case because the agency that sold the land to Pojaman was not technically under the authority of the prime minister. Both Thaksin and his wife fled to Britain on Monday, contending they couldn't get a fair trial in Thailand. The government gave them permission to go to China for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on the understanding they would return for their trial. The Supreme Court has issued arrest warrants for both, and Thai prosecutors said they were discussing the possibility of asking for Thaksin's extradition—usually a lengthy and complicated process. He had come home to Thailand less than six months ago after an extended period of exile following his ouster in a bloodless military coup in September 2006. He spent much of his time at his London residence and traveling around Europe and Asia making business deals, most notably the purchase of the Britain's Manchester City soccer club. Thaksin, 59, faces several other court cases and investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power during his five years in office. He has repeatedly claimed he is innocent of all charges. On July 31, the criminal court convicted his wife of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced her to three years in prison. She was released on bail.
Thaksin Case Can Proceed, Thai Court Says
Waiting for Thaksin
By Veera Prateepchaikul With the odds seemingly piling up against him, the question most people want answered is what Thaksin Shinawatra will do next - throw in the towel and quit politics for good, or fight on like a cornered animal? By now, everyone should have heard about the shocking prison sentence handed down by the Criminal Court against Potjaman Shinawatra, her stepbrother Bannapot Damapong and her secretary Kanchana Honghern after they were found guilty of tax evasion. The sentence itself, three years for Khunying Potjaman and Bannapot and two for Kanchana, was not as hard-hitting and embarrassing as was the court's written reproach against the former first lady and Bannapot. It reads: "The second defendant [Potjaman] was the wife of a holder of the top national political office who aside from being bound to behave like a decent citizen was expected to set a good example befitting her economic and social status... The amount of taxes to be paid by the first defendant [Bannapot] in accordance with the law and was finally paid by the second defendant [Potjaman] on his behalf could not be compared with the amount of assets held by the second defendant and her family at the time." Although the case is not final and will definitely drag on up to the Supreme Court, all I can say about the case and its key players is that it is just the Buddhist law of karma. But the karma does not end there for the Shinawatra family. Khunying Potjaman and her husband, former prime minister Thaksin, are being tried in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions for alleged wrongdoing in the Ratchadaphisek land scandal. Two other cases against Mr Thaksin, namely the lottery case and the Exim Bank's Burma loan case, are still pending in the same court. Five additional cases, all involving alleged abuse of authority, are pending with the Office of the Attorney-General against Mr Thaksin and his cronies. With the odds seemingly piling up against Mr Thaksin - including the conviction of his wife, the recent imprisonment of three members of his legal staff in connection with 2.2 million baht in bribe money stuffed in a lunch box, plus a series of legal cases against him - the questions that most people want to know are: What will Thaksin do next? Will he, this time, throw in the towel and quit politics for good? Or will he fight on like a cornered animal? Some analysts believe Thaksin is discouraged by the legal odds against him and may really want to wash his hands of politics to save his own skin and that of his family. They cite the latest cabinet shakeup, almost completely handled by the so-called Gang of Four - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, his secretary-general Theerapol Nopparampa, Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee and Newin Chidchob - with scarcely any interference from the real boss. It will be a blessing for the country if Thaksin really quits politics and doesn't continue to pull the strings. It will also be much better if he takes a long leave of absence from the country to let the political situation settle peacefully and the political divide gradually heal. Like it or not, Thaksin himself is the only real problem with our political predicament. So will the legal mess change Thaksin? Despite his earlier pledges to leave politics, that now ring hollow, and his occasional sweet words for the country, there have been no concrete actions to back up the rhetoric. Political manoeuvring, both in the open and underground, have been fiercely waged by his cronies and followers to discredit independent organisations such as the National Counter Corruption Commission and the Election Commission which were blamed for all the troubles befalling Thaksin and Co. And they have moved to seize control of certain independent agencies which have persistently defied political interference. Such a move on the Bank of Thailand was manifested by the government's appointment of a new bank board which is heavily infiltrated with Thaksin cronies. The self-serving bid to rewrite the constitution which was primarily intended to exonerate the former Thai Rak Thai executives exiled into the political wilderness has been postponed for now. But once launched, it will amount to pouring fuel on the fire and the People's Alliance for Democracy will step up its protest against the government with the potential that, this time, violence may be inevitable if the pro-government force opts for a showdown. Again, if Thaksin really wants to quit politics and to see national reconciliation, our country would not have descended to the brink and we would not have to so hopelessly ask: When will blood be spilled again? Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=129295
Fugitive Thaksin
The Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Khunying Potjamarn, after a fax declared "I have decided to live in England" rather than face court cases at home. The Supreme Court's division for political office holders ordered the warrants and seized 13 million baht ($389,222) in bail deposited by the billionaire former first couple. They missed a scheduled appearance on Monday after spending the weekend in Beijing to attend the Olympics. Mr Thaksin claimed that he was being defamed and threatened. The former premier said he will always be loyal to the royal constitution, and is not an evil person as being accused. If there is a chance, he would like to live and die in Thailand, according to the statement. "I have decided to live in England," Thaksin said in the hand-written statement faxed to TV stations to explain his failure to return to Thailand. Thaksin owns the Manchester City Football Club and several properties in Britain and has a currently valid business to reside in the country. The Thai media spoke of "political asylum" but it is unlikely Thaksin will need to resort to that. In his statement, Thaksin claimed that his court cases were part of a campaign by his political enemies to keep him out of politics. "What has happened to me and my family is the fruit of a poisoned tree," said Thaksin, who argued that his political enemies had biased the investigations into corruption charges against him in the aftermath of his overthrow by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006. Thaksin and Khunying Potjamarn flew to London Sunday night from Beijing where they had attended the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Friday. The Supreme Court on July 29 granted the fugitive couple permission to travel to Beijing on the stipulation that they returned to Thailand Monday to stand trial later this week in the Ratchadaphist land case, in which the couple stand accused of abusing power in a land purchase deal in 2003 when Thaksin was still prime minister. The couple had booked return tickets on Thai Airways International flight 615 Sunday night but never boarded the plane. Thaksin faces at least four corruption and abuse of power cases from his controversial premiership while his wife was sentenced to three years in prison on a tax evasion charge on July 31. She had appealed the verdict. He was twice elected prime minister and served from 2001 until Sept 19, 2006, when he was toppled by a military coup on charges of corruption, dividing the nation and undermining democracy and the monarchy. Their three children - son Panthongtae and daughters Pinthongta and Paethongtan - departed Bangkok for London on Saturday. Political observers viewed Thaksin's decision to seek asylum abroad as the end of his political career. "His political career is effectively finished in the event that he seeks asylum or goes in to exile because if the court cases go against him he will be a fugitive," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS) at Chulalongkorn University and Bangkok Post analyst. Although he is closely allied to the People Power Party, that leads the current government, Thaksin's political clout has not protected him from the Thai judiciary which is pressing several cases against the former first couple and has already sentenced his wife to jail. He remains one of the most popular, and controversial, political figures. (BangkokPost.com, dpa) Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=129527
Thaksin: I'll be back
Two intimates of the family of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra waved off speculation on Thursday he would go into exile to avoid court cases and possible prison sentences. Mr Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, who is deputy prime minister and education minister, insisted deposed premier Thaksin and his wife Khunying Potjaman are not seeking political asylum, and they will return to fight their charges in Thailand. His personal spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said the same thing: "He has told me he will return as planned and so far I haven't been informed of any change of plan." Khunying Potjaman, her step-brother Bannapot Damapong and Mrs Thaksin's secretary Kanchanapa Honghern left Thailand on Thursday morning on a Thai Airways International flight to Beijing. Some of her three children broke down into tears as they saw her off. Reports have been rife that they would seek political asylum after the Criminal Court sentenced the three to jail. Adding a touch of irony, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej also departed for the opening of the Beijing Olympics - on the same flight as Khunying Potjaman. Mr Thaksin is scheduled to return from China on Sunday. He flew from Thailand to Japan on July 31 to give a special lecture before proceeding to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Rumours that Mr Thaksin would go into exile and save the country a lot of political turmoil helped to send shares at the Stock Exchange of Thailand leaping up by more than 4 per cent on Thursday, brokers claimed. (Other brokers, however, credited falling oil prices and a partial return of foreign funds to the SET for the rise.) Mr Thaksin and his wife are both travelling abroad, with court permission. They are to meet in China as the Olympics begin on Friday, and are to return - under terms of their agreement with the court - next Monday. "Please wait until he returns," said Ms Sansanee to reporters. "Please avoid any speculation for now." Mr Somchai said Mr Thaksin will appear before the court on Aug 11 as ordered. He said the ousted prime minister has always followed the court’s orders. The court earlier found Khunying Potjaman, and her step-brother guilty of conspiring to evade taxes of 546 million baht on the transfer of shares in Shinawatra Computer and Communication, the old name for Shin Corp. They were sentenced to three years in jail, and Khunying Potjaman's secretary Karnchanapa Honghern received a two-year prison sentence in the case. All three are out on bail while the case is appealed. Mr Somchai said Khunying Potjaman still has confidence in the Thai justice system, and will appeal her case normally. Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=129411
Court to try Thaksin in absentia
A corruption case against ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife will go ahead even though they have fled to the UK, a Thai court has ruled. Lawyers for the couple had argued proceedings should be suspended because they were no longer living in Thailand. But the court said the case - related to a Bangkok land sale - should proceed with the couple in absentia. Mr Thaksin flew to the UK last week, saying he feared he would not receive a fair trial in Thailand. The telecommunications billionaire faces a raft of corruption allegations there and a court recently sentenced his wife to three years in jail. Mr Thaksin has repeatedly denied the allegations, which he says are an attempt to remove him from politics. The former prime minister had only returned to Thailand in February, 18 months after the military ousted him in a coup. The Supreme Court said there was no reason to suspend proceedings against Mr Thaksin and his wife. "The court still has jurisdiction to proceed with the case and there is no reason to dismiss the case," Chief Judge Tonglor Chomngarm said. Thai authorities say they are considering an extradition request for the former leader, who owns Manchester City football club. Earlier in the week Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said Thailand would cancel Mr Thaksin's diplomatic passport "as soon as possible" - in what analysts say could be a first step towards seeking his extradition. Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7563720.stm
Man City boss calms Thaksin fears
Manchester City's executive chairman Garry Cook says the uncertainty around owner Thaksin Shinawatra does not pose any threat to the club's stability. There is a warrant for his arrest in Thailand and the Premier League says he may take its 'fit and proper person test' to see if he can own a club. "City's future is not in jeopardy. In the short term it's business as usual," Cook told the Manchester Evening News. "He's willing to look at whatever it takes to make City a great club." An arrest warrant for the former Thai Prime Minister was issued after he failed to appear in court in Bangkok on Monday. The test was introduced to ensure that only "fit and proper people" are owners or directors of Premier League clubs. It states that "any director of a club is automatically disqualified if convicted of one of a number of offences by a 'competent court' anywhere in the world." Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "If we feel the rule has been breached, we will invoke it. "(But) we have a club owner who has not yet been found guilty of any offence." The test was introduced to ensure that only "fit and proper people" are owners or directors of Premier League clubs. Thaksin is currently facing charges of corruption and abuse of power in Thailand, which he has denied. The Thai government could ask for Britain to extradite Thaksin so he can face trial in Bangkok. The two countries have a long-standing extradition treaty and Thailand's democratic government is recognised by Britain. Scudamore added: "We will not turn a blind eye to issues of a serious nature (but) it is quite a complex matter and we can't just make a judgement on the spot." He also said the league would seek advice from the UK Home Office and Foreign Office before making any decision. Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, was sentenced to three years in jail for tax fraud two weeks ago but was granted bail. The couple fled to Britain on Sunday after watching the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing. But Cook said City fans had nothing to fear and the turmoil surrounding him would not impact on manager Mark Hughes' plans for the new season. "We don't rely on Dr Thaksin's money," he said. "When Mark Hughes makes a decision we go through the normal process, which can include banks, finance or a whole bunch of different things just like any other club." Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7555512.stm
Premier League chief executive
Thaksin's fast exit compounds City's on-pitch troubles
Oustanding questions over club owner and several players put Hughes' side in turmoil AP A grimace crosses the face of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister, as he leaves court, with his daughters following, during his corruption trial in Bangkok It wasn't quite the pre-season preparation Manchester City had in mind for the man who is supposed to be bankrolling an assault on the upper reaches of the Premier League. The club's chairman, Thaksin Shinawatra, was holed up in a London hotel yesterday after flying directly from Beijing to London to skip bail and avoid corruption charges of which he is now rumoured to be convicted in his absence over the next few months. The Premier League will then take Home Office advice before deciding whether he is a fit and proper person to own a club. He might even be removed under Britain's 103-year-old extradition treaty with Thailand, now that an elected government runs that country. The jitters at City have not been helped by a sense that the club have problems on the playing side as well, though those are not as profound as they might seem. Stephen Ireland is not leaving and no offers have been received for him, despite the player's agent calling City's new chief executive, Paul Aldridge, and suggesting that since two clubs were interested he should perhaps be stood down for Saturday's friendly with Milan. The powers of persuasion of City's manager, Mark Hughes, have also proved critical in Vedran Corluka's U-turn on a move to Tottenham Hotspur, which has left the London club fuming. But City could have done without the unexpected turn of events in Bangkok, which have seen the Thai judiciary prove far more obstinate than Thaksin expected when he returned to Bangkok from his last period of British exile, in February, to defend his name and reclaim £800m of frozen assets. Rumour had been rife since the conviction last week of his wife, Potjaman, that they would flee and the ease with which the couple were granted permission to leave the country to attend the Olympic Games suggests he first cut a deal with his adversaries, who just wanted him out. Thaksin was known to have been saying goodbyes before leaving for Beijing, where he has been seeking corporate partners for City with the club's executive director, Garry Cook. The large suitcases which the couple took with them were rather a giveaway, too. Of course, City fans just want to know whether the money has run out for their "Frank Sinatra". Thaksin remains a hugely wealthy individual; owner of the listed SC urban development company which has a large property portfolio in Bangkok and the sale of the family company in 2006 has also left him with major liquid assets. But he was first exiled in such a hurry – by telephone while at the United Nations – that there was insufficient time to clear much money out of Thailand and he has yet to dig deep for the club. His initial purchase of the club cost him only £21.6m in equity purchase, with £60m of the £81.6m headline figure of the takeover an assumption of existing debt. There was a hint of a lack of readies when down payments on players picked up last season were small, leaving Thaksin with an estimated outstanding liability of £50m on players purchased, most of that repayable in short periods. And on top of that, Thaksin is known to have spent heavily to rehabilitate his image since returning to the Far East. "It's a fairly mercenary system here and you always had the impression he could buy his way out of trouble," his biographer, Chris Baker said yesterday. Football club ownership seems to have been more than a means of winning publicity back in Thailand for an individual who almost bought into Liverpool. But whether he can afford to maintain his interest remains to be seen. City fans only take heart from the fact that their owner is a supreme entrepreneur. He has identified the global value of City and has been working on sponsorship and brand deals in the Far East with Cook. The chairman's calamities have taken the club a long way from the aspirations of purchasing Ronaldinho, which now seem a distant dream. Michael Johnson, whose attitude has been a problem to the club for some months, may leave, having refused a new five-year deal which the club had hoped would quell interest from Arsenal and Everton. The fans' jitters were not eased by a farcical sequence of events on Saturday which gave rise to rumours of Ireland's exit, too. Danny Mills, back from his latest loan spell, at Derby, declared live on Five before coverage of City's friendly against Milan that the Irishman had failed to show up and appeared to be leaving the club, but he was not furnished with some farcical pre-match events. Hughes, it seems, had told those players not selected for his squad, named on Friday, to expect a text message on Saturday if they had been stood down from substitutes' duties. Ireland, selected in Hughes' first XI, misunderstood, expected a text message and did not turn up when it did not arrive. He was then surprised to find Mark Bowen, Hughes' deputy, on the phone asking why he had not shown. Corluka's indecision about his future has hardly helped City, either. His Spurs medical had been completed when Hughes told Cook he intended one last attempt to talk him around. On telephoning the Croatian defender in London at the weekend, he discovered that he had a hankering to remain in Manchester despite the greater sum on offer. Both players are key to City's attempts to progress and the form Valeri Bojinov has shown pre-season also showed why Hughes feels he has gained a free striker. He remains intent on bidding for Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz, too, though Rovers' unwillingness to sell was underlined by Paul Ince's assertion yesterday that no more players would be leaving Ewood. Hughes' unhappiness at the way City have been cast as a troubled club before the season has even started contributed in part to his arrival over an hour late for Saturday's post-match press conference and Mills was certainly put in his place before that. But Thaksin's notion that his football club will become a challenger to their Old Trafford neighbours seemed a distant prospect last night. Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/thaksins-fast-exit-compounds-citys-onpitch-troubles-891361.html
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Thailand to seek Thaksin extradition from UK
Wednesday August 13 2008
Thailand is preparing to seek the extradition of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned to exile earlier this week.
Sirisak Tiyapan, the head of the international affairs department of the Thai attorney general's office, said today he was ``currently studying the legal details of the case (for extradition).''
The Supreme Court issued arrest warrants on Monday for Manchester City owner Thaksin and his wife Pojaman after they failed to attend a scheduled hearing on a corruption case pending against them.
Thaksin said he decided to live in England because he could not expect a fair trial in Thailand, where he was prime minister from 2001-2006.
Source: http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/asia/thailand-to-seek-thaksin-extradition-from-uk-1454192.html
Thaksin Shinawatra seeks refuge in Britain
BANGKOK: The former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, skipped a court appearance Monday and announced that he was seeking refuge in London, leaving behind $2 billion in assets frozen by the generals who deposed him two years ago.
The Thai Supreme Court acted quickly after Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, failed to show up for a hearing, ordering bail money seized and issuing warrants for their arrest. The forfeited bail of nearly $400,000 was in addition to the 68.5 billion baht, or $2 billion, already frozen by the government, money that the family unsuccessfully sought access to in recent weeks.
The absence of Thaksin's outsized presence and personality will probably embolden his critics in Thailand, but it is far from a guarantee that the internecine political battles that have bedeviled this country since his ouster in 2006 will cease. Millions of supporters have been irritated by what they view as Thaksin's political persecution.
In a bitter, handwritten note read by newscasters on television, Thaksin said that he rode in bulletproof cars in Thailand, constantly fearing for his life, and that he had lost faith in the judiciary to hear fairly the many cases brought against him by a military-appointed panel after the military coup. His wife was recently sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion and the couple faces other cases for corruption and financial misdeeds.
"This is what I get for serving the country, the monarchy and the people with hard work and dedication for six years as prime minister," Thaksin wrote.
Khamnuan Chalopatham, one of Thaksin's lawyers, confirmed the authenticity of the note.
Thaksin and his wife, who had been attending the Olympic Games in Beijing, flew directly to London instead of returning to Bangkok for a scheduled court appearance Monday, Thai media reported.
"I am not perfect, but I insist that I am not as bad as what they accuse me of," Thaksin wrote in his letter.
"I must apologize again for deciding to come to live in England," Thaksin added. "If I am fortunate enough, I will return and die on Thai soil, just like other Thais."
Thaksin's three children left Bangkok for London on Saturday accompanied by a family secretary and 14 checked bags weighing a total of 360 kilograms, or almost 800 pounds, according to the Manager newspaper here.
Legal analysts said Monday that Thaksin would be shielded in Britain by extradition laws that favor defendants. The cases of two executives who fled Thailand for Britain during the 1997 financial crisis and who are wanted for alleged malfeasance have dragged on without resolution. But Thaksin's high profile presents a dilemma for the British government over how much cooperation to give the Thai authorities. Officials here suggested Monday that they had no choice but to begin extradition proceedings.
The main Thai stock market index closed 1.77 percent higher Monday on the apparent hope that Thaksin's exile would ease tensions in the country.
But Sondhi Limthongkul, one of the leaders of a protest movement that has staged daily demonstrations for several months, said that he would not be satisfied until the government, which came to power on the support of Thaksin's large rural support base, steps down. "Nothing changes," he said. "We will continue our protests."
Thaksin's passionate detractors are an influential minority in Thailand, mainly Thais from the urban middle class and the elite.
Thaksin had sweet words for his new home: England, he wrote in his note, was a country "that holds to democracy above all else."
Thaksin has a controlling stake in the Manchester City soccer team, which he bought last year for £21.6 million, or $41.4 million.
In Thailand, Thaksin said he had been a victim of a "political assassination" by officials with what he described as dictatorial powers.
"My family and I were continually treated unfairly without justice or truth," he said.
It was unclear what effect Thaksin's departure would have on the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who has been accused by critics of being Thaksin's puppet.
Many of the ministers and members of Parliament in the governing coalition are former allies or members of Thaksin's disbanded Thai Rak Thai party. Samak made no public statements Monday.
Surapong Suebwonglee, the finance minister and for years a close associate of Thaksin's, said the governing party, the People Power Party, would be independent. "Thaksin's presence or absence doesn't have any sway on its direction," Surapong said.
Janesara Fugal contributed reporting from Bangkok.
Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/11/asia/thai.php
Thaksin to miss cup clash as he fights threat of extradition
Manchester City's owner is accused of contravening Thai rules over purchases of state land while in office. Photograph: Jon Super/AP Thaksin Shinawatra has indicated he will stay away from Manchester City's Uefa Cup qualifying tie against the Danish side FC Midtjylland tonight as he contemplates the first stages of a legal battle to avoid extradition back to Thailand. Five days after jumping bail and fleeing to London rather than risk being sent to prison on corruption charges, Thaksin is aware his presence at the City of Manchester stadium could be unwelcome for Mark Hughes in what the manager, with a hefty amount of understatement, described yesterday as a "difficult week". Hughes spoke of supporters being "upset and bewildered" because of the flood of negative publicity, although he reiterated that he would not resign despite his own problems adapting to the new regime. City, he insisted, were "going in the right direction" and, to back up his point, he revealed that Thaksin was still wealthy enough for transfer money to be available. "I've been reassured," he said. "People may have been concerned that I wouldn't have the funds to bring in players but that's not the case. We are actively pursuing players as we speak." It is clear, however, that City are not in the financial position that Hughes assumed when he left Blackburn Rovers to take the job 10 weeks ago. Thaksin is unable to free the £800m worth of assets that are frozen in Thailand and Hughes had to intervene to prevent Vedran Corluka being sold to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week, as well as having to investigate whether Stephen Ireland had also been put up for sale. "It has been a difficult week in many respects but it has happened very early in my tenure and from this point onwards we can move on and work much better," said Hughes. "There have been misunderstandings but it's also true to say that in any organisation, if you make big changes, on occasions messages will be misinterpreted and mistakes will be made." The former Wales manager, whose problems have been exacerbated by the news that Darius Vassell will miss 10 weeks with a knee injury, described himself as "stimulated" by the new challenges but there was also a telling admission that he was still waiting for his first face-to-face meeting with Thaksin. He did confirm, however, that he had been promised nobody would be sold against his wishes. "I had a meeting with the players to make the group aware that I'm in charge and will make the decisions that affect the players," he added. "If players leave or if they go, that decision will be mine and mine solely. That's where we are and I think everybody understands now that that is the situation. I think we will be better for it and we can now move forward." The truth, however, is that City will face an uncertain future for as long as Thaksin is living in exile, with Thailand already making preparations to try to extradite him. A team of government lawyers has been assembled to examine his case, according to the state prosecutor. Meanwhile the Supreme Court in Thailand is expected to pass judgment on a land deal involving Thaksin on September 16. A conviction in his absence could affect his ownership of Manchester City under the FA's "fit and proper person" rule. However, he is accused of contravening Thai rules over purchases of state land while in office, an offence that does not exist under British law. "We can't really go into the details of the owner's position because, if we are truthful, we don't know which way it is going to go," said Hughes. "But I was aware of this situation before I came here." Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/14/uefa.manchestercity
Thailand readies extradition bid for ex-PM
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The Thai government on Wednesday began preparing to request the extradition of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned to exile in Britain after missing a court appearance earlier this week. Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, front, and his wife Pojaman. The Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for Thaksin and his wife Pojaman after they failed to attend a scheduled hearing on a corruption case pending against them. The couple, who traveled to China last week for the Olympics opening ceremony, were also ordered to forfeit a total of 13 million baht ($389,000) bail. Thaksin said in a handwritten statement Monday that he had decided to return to Britain because he could not expect a fair trial in Thailand, where he was prime minister from 2001 to September 2006, when he was ousted in a military coup. The government faces pressure to get him back, though many said his departure would help ease political tensions that began with protests early in 2006 seeking his removal from office because of alleged corruption and abuse of power. "We are currently studying the legal details of the case (for extradition)," Sirisak Tiyapan, the head of the international affairs department of the Thai attorney general's office. "But there has been no formal request so far." He added that his office has not yet received arrest warrants and other documents from the court which would be necessary to make an extradition request. Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag said the ministry is also waiting for formal documents from the court before canceling Thaksin's diplomatic passport, which he holds as a privilege of his former position. "This is our priority. We will proceed as soon as possible," Tej told reporters. Thaksin's diplomatic passport was revoked after the coup, but returned to him earlier this year after the election of a new government led by political allies. Extradition is generally a complicated legal procedure, and many Western countries are reluctant to agree to it in cases with political overtones, or if they fear the suspect may be persecuted. Thaksin's exact status in Britain has not been made public. A spokeswoman for the British home affairs office earlier said it would not comment on individual immigration cases. Speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with government policy, she said a criminal indictment in another country "wouldn't necessarily affect someone's immigration status." Thaksin, 59, faces a slew of court cases and investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power during his five years in office. In his Monday statement, he insisted he was innocent of all the accusations. He returned to Thailand less than six months ago after an extended period of exile following the 2006 military coup, much of it spent at his London residence and traveling around Europe and Asia making business deals, most notably the purchase of Britain's Manchester City football club. On July 31, the criminal court convicted his wife of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced her to three years in prison. She was released on bail. Four cases against Thaksin have gone to court, while others are still under investigation. Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/13/thailand.thaksin.extradition.ap/index.htmlDon't Miss
Warrant issued as ex-Thai leader Thaksin flees to UK
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Thailand's Supreme Court issued arrest warrants Monday for deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife after they skipped a court appearance and fled to the United Kingdom, court officials said. Pojaman Shinawatra and her husband Thaksin leave Bangkok Criminal Court on July 31 in Bangkok. The couple was to appear in court Monday in a corruption case. Instead, Thaksin released a three-page handwritten statement saying he opted to go to England because he did not expect fair treatment in Thai courts, the Thai News Agency said. Thaksin could not immediately be reached for comment. Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman Shinawatra, were scheduled to testify in a Supreme Court case about the unlawful purchase of real estate. The real-estate scandal case is one of several corruption claims that Thaksin and his family face in court. Their lawyer had said the pair would "definitely appear" in court Monday to fight the corruption charges, the News Agency (TNA) said. But the couple did not return to Bangkok on Sunday night from a trip to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. In the real-estate case, Pojaman is accused of using her husband's political influence to buy undeveloped land from a government agency for about a third of its estimated value. The former prime minister has consistently denied that he or his family was involved in any wrongdoing. Last month, Pojaman was found guilty of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced to three years in prison, state media reported. She was released pending appeal on bail of five million baht ($149,000). Pojaman, her step-brother and her secretary were convicted on charges alleging that they intentionally avoided paying taxes worth 546 million baht ($16.4 million) in a 1997 transfer of shares in the family's telecommunications business. Thaksin, who served two terms as prime minister, was deposed in a bloodless military coup in September 2006. The billionaire leader -- a telecommunications tycoon who owns the Manchester City Football Club of the English Premier League -- is accused of abusing the country's system of checks and balances and bending government policy to benefit his family business. He lived abroad until his allies, the People Power Party, won nearly half the seats in the lower house in December's parliamentary elections. In his statement, Thaksin said he returned home only to find the political atmosphere did not permit him to prove his innocence because of "intervention in the judicial system." Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/11/thai.leader/index.html
Don't Miss
More charges filed against deposed Thai PM
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Thai prosecutors filed new corruption charges against ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Friday for alleged abuse of authority to benefit his family business. The Attorney General's Office filed the charges in the Supreme Court over changes made in 2003 to a payments system for state-owned enterprises that benefited Thaksin's family-owned mobile phone company, Deputy Attorney General Waiyawut Toetrakun said. The filing came as a series of legal cases against the former prime minister, toppled in a 2006 military coup, appeared to be gaining momentum, with a ruling on one expected at the end of the month. The charges Friday said Thaksin ordered a Cabinet resolution in 2003 to change concession fees paid by mobile phone companies to state telecommunications enterprises. The fees were converted into a simple tax, which was lower. Advanced Info Service, a subsidiary of Shin Corp., a telecom conglomerate owned by Thaksin's family until early 2006, benefited the most because as the biggest mobile operator it had been paying the largest concession fees. "The result of the investigation found that the suspect has abused (his) authority" to benefit his family's company, the charges said. The changes caused financial losses to two state-owned telecommunications enterprises, they said. The case is the eighth against Thaksin and members of his family that has gone to court out of a total of 24. The others are still with police or the attorney general's office. Among other cases, the Thai Supreme Court began to hear testimonies Tuesday from witnesses in the trial of Thaksin and his wife on charges related to her purchase of Bangkok real estate when he was prime minister. The court is to rule July 31 on separate charges of tax evasion against his wife. Several high-profile court rulings this week have targeted top officials in the five-month-old government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, which is filled with Thaksin allies. On Thursday, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned after being accused of jeopardizing the country's claims to land near an ancient Cambodian temple. The Thai Constitutional Court had ruled Tuesday that Noppadon acted unconstitutionally when he endorsed Cambodia's application to have the Preah Vihear temple registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site without first consulting Parliament on the matter. Critics fear the endorsement undermines Thailand's claim to land near the temple, which is on the Thai-Cambodian border. On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court disqualified Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsup from office for violating asset disclosure rules. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court banned a former parliamentary speaker from politics for five years for electoral fraud. The verdict could lead to the eventual dissolution of Samak's People's Power Party if the Constitutional Court decides that Yongyuth Tiyapairat committed the fraud to benefit his party. A number of senior Thaksin loyalists serve in Samak's government. Before his appointment as foreign minister, Noppadon was Thaksin's top lawyer and spokesman while the former prime minister was in exile after his ouster.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/11/thailand.shinawatra.ap/index.html
Deposed Thai PM's wife guilty of tax evasion
(CNN) -- The wife of deposed Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was found guilty Thursday of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced to three years in prison, state media reported. Pojaman Shinawatra, as seen last year, was found guilty of tax evasion on Thursday. After the ruling, the judge released Pojaman Shinawatra on five million baht ($149,000) bail, pending an appeal. The 51-year-old former first lady and her husband did not speak to reporters as she left the Criminal Court in Bangkok, the Thai News Agency said. They were accompanied by their three children. More than 300 police officers were deployed around the courthouse to prevent any outbreak from Thaksin supporters. The ruling is likely to be a major blow for Thaksin, the former prime minister, who has consistently denied that he or his family was involved in any wrongdoing. Several other corruption claims against Thaksin and his family are winding their way through the legal system. Pojaman, her step-brother and her secretary were convicted on charges alleging that they intentionally avoided paying taxes worth 546 million baht ($16.4 million) in a 1997 transfer of shares in the family's telecommunications business. The step-brother was sentenced to three years in prison. The secretary was sentenced to two. All three denied the charges. Thaksin, who served two terms as prime minister, was deposed in a bloodless military coup. The billionaire leader is accused of abusing the country's system of checks and balances and bending government policy to benefit his family business. He and his wife are part of another corruption trial in which Pojaman is accused of using her husband's political influence to purchase undeveloped land from a government agency for about a third of its estimated value. Thaksin also faces separate charges of concealing assets. Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, owns the Manchester City Football Club of the English Premier League. His party won two landslide victories before he was deposed in a coup in September 2006. He lived abroad until his allies won nearly half the seats in the lower house in December's parliamentary elections. Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/31/thailand.thaksin.wife/index.htmlDon't Miss
Criminal Wanted: Pojamarn Shinawatra
A Thai judge has issued an arrest warrant for the country's former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. A warrant has also been issued for the billionaire's wife in connection with a corruption case against the couple. Thaksin was ousted from power by the Thai military last year after large demonstrations calling for him to resign because of alleged corruption and abuse and power. He has spent the intervening time living in England, where he recently bought Manchester City Football Club. The judge who issued the arrest warrants for Thaksin and his wife says he "has reason to believe that they are evading prosecution".
Criminal Wanted: Thaksin Shinawatra
A Thai judge has issued an arrest warrant for the country's former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. A warrant has also been issued for the billionaire's wife in connection with a corruption case against the couple. Thaksin was ousted from power by the Thai military last year after large demonstrations calling for him to resign because of alleged corruption and abuse and power. He has spent the intervening time living in England, where he recently bought Manchester City Football Club. The judge who issued the arrest warrants for Thaksin and his wife says he "has reason to believe that they are evading prosecution".
