Court rejects challenge to AEC's asset freeze

"The AEC is empowered to freeze assets if it has cause to suspect corruption or abuse of power," the court said in its verdict.

If any party with assets that had been frozen viewed an order to impound them as unjustified, they could lodge an appeal to demonstrate honest possession of the assets in question, the court said.

Somboon Kuptimanas sued the AEC for abuse of power on June 29 after the AEC's move to freeze Thaksin's assets on June 11.

Somboon acted on behalf of Worth Supplies Co, one of five companies whose assets were frozen in the course of the graft investigation into the Winmark case involving Thaksin.