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Published on October 2, 2007

Thaksin acquired 4.5 million shares in Shinawatra Computer and Telecommunication worth Bt738 million, which were transferred from his wife Pojaman Shinwatra in November 1997 through a family maid.

Sirote, Vichai Juengrakkiati, the director of the State Enterprises Policy Committee Office, who was at the time director of the Legal Division, Moreerat Boonyasiri, director of the Legal Division, Kulruedee Saengsayan, a senior legal official, and Suchinda Saengchompu, a senior regional revenue official, were all fired by the Finance Ministry in December 2006 after being charged with dereliction of duty and negligence.

Prosecutors submitted a list of eight state witnesses to testify including four National Counter Corruption Commission officials, three Revenue Department officials and a law lecturer. Each would give an opinion on the tax calculation.

A lawyer for the five defendants asked to check the evidence of the plaintiff before submitting his list of witnesses. The court allowed the defendants to check the evidence and scheduled December 3 for the next hearing.

The four defendants, with the exception of Sirote, asked to be allowed to testify in secret, but the court denied the request on the grounds that penalties for the charges carry a sentence of more than three years jail.

Bhanapot paid the Revenue Department Bt543 million in revenue for the Bt738 million worth of Shinawatra Computer and Communications shares received from Pojaman. He appealed against the tax payment ruling and placed Bt543 million as a surety for the appeal.

In December last year the Finance Ministry resolved to dismiss Sirote and four other senior officials for failing to tax Bhanapot over the share deal.

Just prior to that the National Counter Corruption Commission decided to indict Sirote and the four on criminal and disciplinary charges. 

 Kesinee Taengkhio

 The Nation