Chairman Udom Fuangfung said yesterday that his Assets Examination Committee subcommittee has wrapped up its investigation and is determined to push for the prosecution of Thaksin and Pojaman even though they have threatened to counter-sue the AEC.

Thaksin and Pojaman will be charged with breaching Article 100 of the National Counter Corruption Act, which prohibits government officials - even prime ministers - and their spouses from entering into or having interests in contracts with state agencies under their supervision.

Udom said that if the case goes to court, the legal dispute over whether Thaksin had the power to oversee the Financial Institutions Development Fund - which sold the property to Pojaman - would determine if the anti-graft law could be fully enforced.

AEC secretary Kaewsan Atibodhi, who is also the chairman of the panel looking into the telecom excise tax, said he has a solid case.

He said evidence proves that Thaksin ordered the new tax through a Cabinet resolution in February 2003 that benefited Advanced Info Service Plc, whose board has Shinawatra family members on it.

"It's policy corruption so members of the public can lodge complaints against him as aggrieved parties for not receiving discounts for their service due to the lower concession fees that telecom operators paid," he said.

The AEC would also decide on Monday whether to accept a complaint pertaining to iTV for its investigation, he said.

Banjerd Singkaneti, chairman of the AEC panel checking the rubber saplings purchase, said the AEC on Tuesday gave the nod to his panel to charge 90 people for suspected involvement in corruption in the projects.

Three companies - Charoen Pokphand Seeds Co Ltd, Resort Land Co Ltd and Ekcharoen Co Ltd - will also be charged for

joint investment, management and collusion on the bid price, he added.

Budsarakham

Sinlapalavan

The Nation