Nam said he does not even know Thaksin personally and therefore had no reason to harass him.

"The AEC has been assigned to work in accordance with the 30th announcement of the Council for Democratic Reform. If we do not perform our work, we will be charged with dereliction of duty," Nam said.

Thaksin made his allegations through www.hi-thaksin.net, saying his family is being unfairly treated and the charges against them had been pressed unlawfully.

Nam refuted Thaksin's allegation, saying that all corruption cases currently being investigated by the AEC follow the letter of the law.

"All decisions have been reached by a panel, not by individuals on a whim. We work independently and are not dominated by anyone. We work in a straightforward manner," he said.

Nam said he may not counter-sue Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, who had sued him for slander. Pojaman took the legal action when Nam said that she and Thaksin had violated the anti-graft law by purchasing land illegally.

Nam said he may only file a complaint with the police and let them proceed with the case.

"Pojaman sues me with the intent to destroy my concentration, but it does not affect

me. I have a lot of work right now, but I may not lodge a complaint and may even forgive her," he said.

The AEC's sub-committee chairman, Udom Fuangfung, said that if prosecutors accepted the suit against Thaksin and Pojaman over the Rachadaphi-sek land purchase and indict them at the Supreme Court's Criminal Tribunal for Political Office Holders and the court accepts the suit, it will issue a summons for Thaksin to defend himself against the charge.

"Thaksin has to appear at the court, and the Council for National Security and the government will have to decide whether to allow Thaksin back into the country," he said.

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan

The Nation