Ousted PM spends "missing" money on investment and personal affairs
Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra spent nearly Bt30 billion, that were withdrawn from bank accounts before graft busters froze his assets, on investment and personal affairs.
Assets Examination Committee has revealed that two sums; Bt20 billion and Bt8 billion were withdrawn from his bank accounts, a week before the order to freeze the accounts was issued on Monday. His spokesman, Noppadon Pattama, said Thursday that Thaksin spent the first sum, Bt20 billion on investment and the second sum; Bt8 billion, on his personal affairs. He said the AEC could trace where the money went and the money is still in the country. A report from the Bank of Thailand (BOT) said that between June 4 and 11, more than Bt8 billion was withdrawn from six of the 21 accounts, leaving a combined balance of around Bt43 billion. The account from which most of the money - Bt5.6 billion - was withdrawn is in the name of Thaksin's brother-in-law Bhanapot Damapong. The AEC found on June 4 about Bt20 billion had been withdrawn from the 21 accounts (no exact figures are available for two accounts) holding the Bt73 billion from the Shin Corp sale and Bt53 billion was left. The Nation
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