The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) yesterday acknowledged the complaint from the injured party, the Rubber Plantation Fund, which was responsible for the scheme to distribute 90 million rubber saplings to farmers in the Northeast.

The fund has accused the Thaksin Cabinet and 70 accomplices, divided into seven groups, of conspiracy to fix the bidding process. The saplings were found to be substandard and could not be tapped for rubber.

The fund's complaint will be the basis for the AEC to open a hearing on indictments.

In another development, the AEC subcommittee on the Shin Corp deal heard testimony from Shin executive chairman Boonklee Plangsiri.

Boonklee was grilled for five hours and refused to discuss the details of his statement.

Sub-committee chairman Viroj Laohaphan said he had found Boonklee's statement to be very useful for the investigation of tax liabilities stemming from the Shin deal.

Viroj also stated that Thursday's statement from Pinthongta Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter, had shed light on the case.

One of the key issues is the Shin share transfer from an off-shore paper company, Ample Rich, to Thaksin's two children before they sold their equity stakes in the stock market to Singapore's Temasek Holdings.

Thaksin's lawyer Noppadon Patama said some sub-committee members had asked leading questions in an attempt to frame Pinthongta into admitting that the deal involving Ample Rich had been done in Bangkok, thus incurring tax liability.

Noppadon insisted the Ample Rich transaction had taken place in Singapore.

He also said the authorities had tried to ignore the fact that Pinthongta had spent less than 180 days in Thailand last year, which was grounds for tax exemption. She is studying for a graduate degree in England.

The Viroj sub-committee is expected to hear the testimony of Bhanapot Damapong, Thaksin's brother-in-law, on February 15 before wrapping up its work.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin yesterday testified to the AEC sub-committee on the purchase of fire-trucks. The interrogation lasted 11 hours.

After the session Apirak refused to speak to reporters in detail, saying only that he reposed full confidence in the AEC's investigation.

Prasert Boonsri, chairman of the sub-committee, said it was not necessary to take testimony from ex-interior minister Bokhin Polakul, ex-deputy interior minister Pracha Malinont or ex-Bangkok governor Samak Sundharavej, who were involved in the purchase, because they had already testified to the Department of Special Investigation.

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan,

Bancha Khaengkhan

The Nation