Thailand to freeze more Thaksin assets

Thai officials today said they will freeze an additional £75m (€1.5bn) in assets believed to be controlled by ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and file a criminal lawsuit against two executives of his defunct party for violating election law.

The Assets Examination Commission, established after a coup deposed Thaksin last September, has already frozen more than 60 billion baht (€1.3bn) of his family’s wealth pending the outcome of court cases related to charges of corruption and abuse of power.

If the courts rule against Thaksin, the money could be seized by the government.

Premier League football team Manchester City may have to wait up to three weeks for Thaksin’s takeover of the club to be completed, giving the new regime little time to prepare for the new season.

Separately, the state Election Commission approved filing criminal charges against nine people for violating electoral laws during an April 2006 snap election, its spokesman, Sutthiphol Thawichaikan, said.

Those targeted include two executives of Thaksin’s dissolved Thai Rak Thai party – former Defence Minister Thammarak Isaragura Na Ayuthaya and former Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal.