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Published on July 23, 2007

Lawyers for deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday warned Assets Examination Comm-ittee members they could be prosecuted for issuing regulations to avoid paying legal expenses if they are sued.

Vichit Plangsrisakul said the AEC may repeat the incident of the National Counter Corruption Commission commissioners who were forced to step down after a court found them guilty of awarding themselves a salary raise.

He said "The AEC does not have the right to issue regulations to make the state award them legal support and expenses to fight court cases if they are sued".

Vichit said announcement number 30 of the Council for Democratic Reform only empowers the AEC to investigate corruption and freeze assets but not to issue laws to award themselves legal and financial assistance in fighting court cases.

He said the NCCC regulations also say NCCC commissioners must pay up if they are sued.

Vichit demanded the AEC revoke the regulations if they have already issued them otherwise they will face criminal suits.

He said on April 19, AEC chairman Nam Yimyaem mentioned that he had consulted Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont about issuing regulations that provide them with financial support to fight court cases.

Vichit criticised Article 309 of the constitution draft that provides amnesty to coup leaders and agencies established by the coup, saying such provisions show the symbol of dictatorship.

"There is no such constitution in the world that issues amnesty in advance for themselves," he said.

He also demanded the AEC expose the identities of those who provided information leading to the freezing of Thaksin's assets to stifle allegations the agency appointed nominees to receive rewards for the tip-offs amounting

to 25 per cent of the frozen assets.

He had earlier called on the AEC to revoke the tip-off reward.

Vichit and his team said they gave a press conference yesterday to seek justice for Thaksin.

Nikom Chaokitisopon, a former Lampang senator who joined the press conference, said the AEC was wrong over the CDR announcement

number 30 and Article 25 of the NCCC law to issue the rewards.

"They do not have the right under these two laws to issue the regulations," he said.

Vibul Chaemchuen, a

former Kalasin senator, attacked the government for its plan to issue the internal security bill that will change Thailand from a democracy to a military state.

He said his team will on August 15 organise a seminar on International Cooperation for Human Rights and Democracy in Thailand after the September 19 coup.

They will invite diplomats, representatives of 50 national agencies, 50 non-government organisation workers, 50 foreign and Thai academics and 200 Thai and foreign press representatives.

They have invited Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary-general, and former US president Bill Clinton to talk about human rights and democracy, but they have yet to accept the invitations.

Kesinee Jaikawang

The Nation