• 
• 

Published on July 28, 2007

Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin's legal adviser, said the lawyers submitted a letter to Amnuay Tantara, chairman of the AEC's subcommittee, demanding the revocation of the freeze order on Bt200 million in assets of Thaicom Foundation and Bt2 billion of SC Office Plaza.

The lawyers said they wanted the AEC to immediately lift the freeze order on the assets of Thaicom Foundation, which donates money to poor children.

The lawyers are still gathering evidence to submit to the AEC to revoke the freeze order on another Bt50 billion, according to Noppadon.

Amnuay said the AEC will call a meeting to discuss the matter on August 8 and it is impossible to rule on it within seven days as they need time for consideration.

A source said the AEC would take at least three months to decide because the regulations on the matter are complicated. They also have to wait for the results of an investigation by the AEC's subcommittee into the Shin Corp share sale.

The subcommittee is headed by Viroj Laohapan, while another subcommittee probing the telecom excise tax issue is headed by Klanarong Chantik.

Meanwhile, Busaba Damapong, former managing director of SC Assets, had her lawyer Pichit Chuenban submit a letter to the Department of Special Investigations asking for the postponement of the appointment for her to turn up to hear charges of concealing the shareholder structure of SC Assets.

She said in the letter that the Securities and Exchange Commission had ruled that she did not commit any offence.

Pichit said Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, both charged with the same offence, would not surrender to the DSI. He said they would return to Thailand to fight the charge after the general election because if they came back now they felt they would not receive justice.

In a related development, a lawyer for Suriya Jungrungreangkit, who served as transport minister in Thaksin's government, acknowledged on his client's behalf the corruption charges by the AEC in connection with questionable projects at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The lawyer, Boonsong Toemwat, said Suriya would not defend himself in person before the AEC but that his legal team would represent him in the case.