AEC hears from former premiers
Two former prime ministers testified before the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) that they believed deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke political ethics by entering into contracts with a state agency he oversaw, a source said yesterday.
The testimonies of the two former prime ministers were among the statements given by 24 witnesses questioned by the AEC in regard to alleged irregularities in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase scandal. The AEC includes witness testimonies in a "yellow book". It had earlier planned to disclose the information to the public but Attorney General Pachara Yutithamdamrong asked it to do so only after public prosecutors filed a suit with the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office. A panel of public prosecutors is examining the investigation file over the land deal submitted by the AEC prior to making a decision on whether to indict Thaksin and his wife Pojaman Shinawatra for graft offences. The yellow book did not name the two former prime ministers, but Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa (1995-1996) and Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai (1992-1995, 1997-2001) were summoned to give statements over the matter. The yellow book also includes the testimony of a former Bank of Thailand governor who said he believed the bidding for the Ratchada-phisek land deal was inappropriate.
Bancha Khaengkhan The Nation
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