Former AEC member praises Pojaman verdict

"It indicates our investiga¬tion was correct and that we could clearly point out to the court the scam to avoid tax payment by the Shinawatra family," said Viroj Laohaphan.

He believes the verdict will have an effect on other cases. After working for 18 months on 13 antigraft cases involving the Thaksin administration, the AEC - which has been sued by those they have been investi¬gating - received a morale boost when the Criminal Court handed down jail terms for Pojaman, her adopted brother, Banaphot Damapong, and her secretary, Kanchanapa Honghern, for avoiding paying taxes on Bt546 million for the sale of Shinawatra Computer and Communications shares.

Viroj said the AEC had con¬crete evidence the share trans¬fer by Pojaman to her brother violated Article 37 of the Civil Code. As a result of the verdict, the Revenue Department will collect the tax that had been avoided.

He said the AEC had also filed a suit against Revenue Department officials who replied in a letter to Pojaman that the sale of the shares was not subject to taxation.

Viroj will testify as a witness in court early next month.