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Published on October 10, 2007

"When Pinthongta insisted on not testifying, the subcommittee agreed to recommend to the AEC on Monday to file a lawsuit against her," said Sak Korsaengruang, a member of the team investigating the case.

After postponing her testimony three times, Pinthongta showed up for her appointment but withheld comment on allegations of tax evasion in the sale of Shin Corp stock, saying she would never betray her parents.

She simply handed over a statement declining to give any more information.

Sak said her reasons were unacceptable.

Pinthongta apparently offended the AEC, violating the laws setting it up.

The coup makers' an-nouncement establishing the committee authorised it to summon people for questioning under the National Counter Corruption Act.

Pinthongta could face up to six months in jail and/or a Bt10,000 fine, Sak said.

Besides 20 followers and a lawyer, Pinthongta was accompanied by her uncle-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, a former permanent secretary of the Justice Ministry.

After spending half an hour with the panel, Pinthongta left without giving interviews while her attorney Pichit Chuenban gave reporters a summary of her statement, which described her grounds for abstaining from answering inquiries.

She said in her notice that she had the right to protect her dignity and constitutional rights as well as those of her family.

She would never do anything that could bring ill-effects on them directly or indirectly.

She might inadvertently hurt her family, as she did not know enough about legal matters.

The AEC had frozen her and her family's assets, treating her like a suspect, so she sought legal protection to not have to testify against herself and her parents.

And the AEC had lost its authority after the 2007 Constitution became effec-tive on August 24, while

the Council for Democratic Reform's announcement authorising the committee was voided, the statement said.

Although AEC member Jaruvan Maintaka greeted Pinthongta as she has done every time Pinthongta has reported to the committee, Pinthongta's behaviour yesterday took the AEC by surprise.

After she entered the AEC meeting room, her followers waited in front and refused

to go somewhere else, saying she would not take too long. After less than 10 minutes, Pinthongta emerged, ap-

parently to go to the rest-room.

However, her followers went to talk to her, then she decided to open the meeting room door to say goodbye to the committee and left.

The AEC was stunned, but Pinthongta kept grinning all along.

 Budsarakham Sinlapalavan,

 Bancha Khaengkhan

 The Nation