Latest developments in this case:

Jan 8: Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, wife of ex-premier Thaksin, returns to Thailand to fight a corruption case involving her questionable land purchase.

In granting Bt5 million bail, the high court set two conditions - ban from leaving the country, ban from interfering with the judicial proceedings.

It also revoked the arrest warrant against Pojamarn.

The court also set January 23 as the opening date for her trial on charges of using her husband's political influence to buy prime Bangkok real estate from a government agency at one-third its estimated value.

Aug 14: Supreme Court approved on Tuesday an arrest warrant for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife, Pojaman, on charges of malfeasance relating to his wife's purchase of Ratchadapisek land.

Aug 14:  Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Pojaman are slated today for reclassification from defendants to fugitives - if they fail to appear for arraignment on the Ratchadaphisek land case. "The Supreme Court will have no choice but to issue arrest warrants for the two in order to apprehend them for trial," court secretary Rakkiart Watanapong said.

July 12: Ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Pojaman were officially notified to appear at the Supreme Court on August 14.

Because the two are out of Thailand at present, court officials and prosecutors put up two summonses at their homes in Bang Phlat and Dusit districts.

July 10: The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders  decided to proceed with the trial against fThaksin and his wife Pojaman for alleged corruption in relation to the Ratchadapisek land deal in 2003

July 4: National police chief General Seripisut Temiyavej sought help from Interpol. He acted at the request of public prosecutors, who need to give Thaksin' permanent address to the court for the indictment relating to the Ratchadapisek land purchase. He said he has yet to get a report back from Interpol on Thaksin's regular place of abode.

 But AEC member Udom Fuangfung said he would submit a document to the Supreme Court today stating the permanent addresses of Thaksin and his wife as Bang Plad and Dusit districts, res-pectively, in Bangkok. That in-formation comes from homes registered in their names.

June 21: Office of Attorney General lodge a criminal corruption suit with Supreme Court’s Criminal Tribunal for Holders of Political  Office against deposed prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Pojaman  Shinawatra in  connection with Ratchadapisek land purchase.

April 9: Pridiyathorn will be called to testify on Wednesday, said Udom Fuangfung, the panel's chair. If he fails to appear without proper reason he faces a month in jail and/or a Bt10,000 fine

March 1:The AEC decided to seek additional criminal charges against Thaksin  and Pojaman over a controversial land purchase, which could result in the plots in question being seized, a panel member said.

He said the couple would be charged with violating Article 152 of the Criminal Code for allegedly exploiting his position for personal gain, as well as certain provisions of the National Counter Corruption Commission Act.

The criminal offence carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail and a maximum fine of Bt20,000.

The AEC had earlier charged Thaksin and Pojaman with violating Article 100 of the National Counter Corruption Commission Act, which bans state officials and their spouses from having an interest in contracts made with state agencies under their supervision.

 Nam said the seizure of Pojaman's plot should happen after the Udom panel completes its hearing for possible indictments against Pojaman.

 The Udom panel would then outline the charges and recommend a trial in the Supreme Court's Criminal Tribunal for Political Office Holders.

  AEC subcommittee chairman Udom Fuangfung said Tarisa produced a draft of a new complaint that stated damage was incurred from the land deal - but did not specify how much.

 Udom said the new complaint was acceptable and his subcommittee would forward the file of Pojaman's land deal to the AEC to appoint an investigation panel.

AEC chairman Nam Yimyaem said that Article 100 of the National Counter Corruption Law stipulated that the PM and spouse are banned from signing any contract no matter whether the price of the land on Ratchadaphisek Road that Pojaman bought was high or low.

January 30: The land plot on Ratchadapisek bought by Pojaman could soon be seized and returned to the rightful owner after the thief gets caught, AEC chairman Nam Yimyaem said. - January 25: The AEC summoned Bank of Thailand Governor Tarisa Watanagase to give more reasons why the central bank's rescue arm, the FIDF, had not indicated how much damage was done from the land deal. The  FIDF had earlier failed to state in its complaint that the deal had caused damage to the state and gave no damage figure  reasoning Pojaman bought the land at a price higher than the government standard price.

January 16: The Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF), the Bank of Thailand’s financialrescue arm, filed a charge against ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Pojaman over a Bt772million land purchase.

January 15: The FIDF decided to bring charges allowing the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) to take further legal action against Thaksin and Pojaman. The AEC now can also proceed with the investigation of relevant parties.
According to procedure, the AEC will ask the state prosecutor to consider whether to file suit against Thaksin and Pojaman with the Supreme Court’s political department, the only court which can rule on it.

Background:

The investigation is focused on a plot of land on Ratchadapisek Road that Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra bought not long after her husband came to power.
The land’s history can be traced back 10 years to three former premiers, Banharn Silapaarcha, General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Chuan Leekpai.
This plot of land was bought by the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF) and later became the land bank of Thai Asset Management Corp during the Banharn government.
It was put up for auction during the Chavalit and Chuan governments and then sold to Pojaman during the Thaksin administration in 2003.
Thaksin's written permission as a spouse, allowing Pojaman to enter into the land deal, is being used as evidence in the case. She bought the land for Bt772 million. Following pressure from the Assets Examination Committee, the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and the Financial Sector Restructuring Authority (FRA) have agreed to file a legal complaint over Pojaman’s purchase.

Key suspects and the charges: Thaksin and Pojaman Shinawatra are accused of violating Article 100 of the National Counter Corruption Act, according to which government officials, including prime ministers, and their spouses are prohibited from entering into or having interests in contracts with state agencies under their supervision.

Key evidence:

Thaksin’s written permission allowing Pojaman to bid for the land.

 Legal complications:

Another article with a bearing on the case is Article 4, which says a malfeasance against the injured party can be committed only by an official directly supervising the injured party, in this case the FIDF. Thaksin can defend himself on the grounds that he did not directly supervise the FIDF.