• 
• 

Published on March 12, 2008

The Supreme Court has granted permission for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to travel abroad from tomorrow to April 10, his spokesman Pongthep Thepkanchana said yesterday.

Thaksin is scheduled to leave for London after his arraignment today on the Ratchadaphisek land case, he said. The trip will cover many countries because it involves a lecture tour at universities.

"I believe the first country on Thaksin's speaking engagements is Japan, where he will lecture for 90 minutes at Takushoku University," Pongthep said.

Due to time constraints, Thaksin will not be meeting with General Prem Tinsulanonda, president of the Privy Council, as anticipated, he said.

In his ruling, presiding judge Thonglo Chomngam said permission was granted on grounds that Thaksin also had to attend to affairs at his Manchester City Football Club.

He instructed Thaksin to report back to the high court no later than April 11.

For a second day in a row, Thaksin made a public appearance by giving an interview to foreign journalists but refusing to talk to the local press.

The ex-premier stated that he would devote his attention to charity work after he was on Monday elected chairman of ThaiCom Foundation, an education charity sponsored by the Shinawatra family.

"Don't try to think for me because in my mind I am fed up with politics and want to work for charities," he said.

In regard to Thaksin's first court hearing on the Ratchadaphisek land case today, defence lawyer Pichit Chuenban said his client was expected to arrive at the high court at 9.30am to enter a plea of not guilty.

He said the hearing should be a low-key event lasting about one hour. He refused to reveal whether the defence would petition for the trial to proceed in absentia so that Thaksin and his wife Khunying Pojaman would not be required to attend every court session.

Thaksin is the lead defendant fighting graft charges relating to abuse of power over his wife's purchase of a plot from the Financial Institutions Development Fund. Pojaman is the co-defendant as an accomplice.

Chief prosecutor Nanthasak Poonsuk said the litigation would centre on two key issues - Thaksin abused his office to condone his wife entering into a purchasing contract with a state agency he supervised, and that he abused his mandate for the supervision of the state agency for ill-gotten gains for himself or others.

Should Thaksin deny the charges, Nanthasak said he expected the high court to schedule the trial proceedings in line with its earlier ruling after Pojaman pleaded not guilty in January.

Following the arraignment, the high court will proceed to examine evidence submitted by the prosecution and the witness. This is expected to take place from April 29-30.

If found guilty, Thaksin could be penalised by a jail term ranging from one to 10 years. He is being prosecuted under two key laws - the Criminal Code and the National Counter Corruption Commission Act.

The Nation