KTB faces loans probe
The Assets Examinations Committee (AEC) ruled yesterday to appoint an investigative panel to probe deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, his wife, his son and Krung Thai Bank officials over loans extended to the Krisada Mahanakorn Group.
The ruling came after an AEC subcommittee found grounds to believe there were irregularities in loans by the Krung Thai Bank to the Krisada Mahanakorn Group alleged to have cost the state up to Bt4.5 billion. The subcommittee has said 32 people and five companies were involved in the loans. They suspect that Thaksin, his wife Pojaman and their son Panthongtae ordered bank officials to approve the loans. They also found that a sizeable proportion of the money was transferred to Panthongtae, plus the mother of Pojaman's personal secretary and the father of Sita Divari, the former Thai Rak Thai Party spokesman. Meanwhile, AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said the agency had dismissed Thaksin's objection to appoint Banjerd Singkaneti as a member of the panel to probe claims of corruption in the purchase of rubber saplings. Thaksin claimed that he and Banjerd had a personal grudge. The AEC will today summon six people suspected of being involved in corruption over the purchase of the CTX bomb detectors for investigation.
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