A source at the ministry said the official visit had been planned for some time, and was originally scheduled to take place tomorrow. However, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will be attending the Asean Economic Ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur on the day.

"The date has been tentatively changed to August 30," the source said.

Thaksin's appearance at the ministry is seen as crucial, following reports that Somkid plans to end his political career once the government completes its term.

If Thaksin decides to take a temporary break from politics, the Thai Rak Thai Party - which looks likely to win the upcoming election - would need to find another person to replace him as prime minister.

More importantly, the Commerce Ministry must decide if Kularb Kaew is a nominee of Singapore's investment arm, Temasek Holdings.

If ruled to be a nominee, Kularb Kaew, which indirectly owns Shin through Cedar Holdings, would need to revamp its shareholding and management structure, or face a public probe into Shin's control of state concessions.

Shin Corp subsidiaries - iTV Plc, Shin Satellite Plc and Advanced Info Service Plc - are operating on concessions. The Constitution bars foreign owners from broadcasting businesses.

The issue came to public attention following a posting on the website of renowned lawyer Meechai Ruchuphan. It asked the Shin takeover would have to be legally nullified if a nominee was ruled to be involved.

"There is no curb on person-to-person share transactions. Shares could be sold to Thais or foreigners. But if the companies are operating in the business restricted to Thai companies, once they are transformed into foreign companies, they would be disqualified from operating such a business. If the companies are awarded concessions which are restricted to Thai companies, as soon as they are foreign, they violate the concessions condition and the authorities must revoke the concessions," Meechai said.

The Commerce Ministry's Business Development Department has completed its investigation into charges that Kularb Kaew is a nominee. Its findings have not yet been announced as the ministry has appointed a committee to look further into the issue. The committee convenes for the first time today.

In light of the Kularb Kaew case, there have been calls for the Alien Business Act to be amended. While Thailand generally defines a nominee according to the shareholding ratio, there have been calls for the issue of a firm's management control to be taken into consideration.

Business Reporters

The Nation