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Published on August 10, 2007

Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shina-watra yesterday filed a request with the Assets Examination Committee through his lawyers to unfreeze his family's assets worth more than Bt40 billion.

Yesterday marked the end of the 60-day deadline for Thaksin and his wife, Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, to file their objection to the freezing of the assets before a proper probe is launched. The deadline was set by the AEC subcommittee led by Amnuay Thanthara, which is probing the Shin Corp share sale to Singapore's Temasek by the Shinawatra family.

The AEC has been freezing the family's assets since June after gathering evidence to make the case that Thaksin and his wife controlled Shin Corp while he was PM, using relatives and family associates as shareholders. The agency also said it had enough evidence proving that Thaksin had committed malfeasance, making him unusually rich. The former PM's lawyer, Somporn Pongsuwan, said he had asked the AEC to unfreeze Thaksin's assets worth Bt500 million and Pojaman's assets worth Bt2.8 billion within seven days on grounds that his client had assets worth more than Bt50 billion before entering politics.

Kittiporn Arunrat, another authorised lawyer, asked the AEC to unfreeze the assets of Thaksin's children - Pinthongta and Panthongtae - worth Bt40 billion within seven days.

AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang said Thaksin and his family had to prove in testimony that they had earned the assets legally. "Lawyers' statements are not testimony. The Shinawatra family will have to give proof by themselves."

Pichit Chuenban, a lawyer authorised by Pojaman's brother, Bhanapot Damapong, requested that the AEC unfreeze Bt19 billion of his assets.

Phichit said Bhanapot was a Shin Corp shareholder and had held the shares for more than 11 years - well before Thaksin assumed the premiership.

The AEC froze Bhanapot's Bt200 million, which accounts for more than the proceeds earned by the sale of Shin shares. The AEC also seized assets worth Bt7 million owned by Bhanapot's wife, Busaba, even though she had nothing to do with the Shin Corp share sales, Phichit said.

He called upon the AEC to unfreeze Bt200 million in assets within 30 days.

Budsarakham    Sinlapalavan,

Bancha Khaengkhan

The Nation