Exiled Thai PM to be charged with fraud

THAILAND’S ousted and exiled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ordered yesterday to appear before police in Bangkok next week to face corruption charges.

Mr Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, who are both out of the country, will be charged with making fraudulent filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission over the 2003 listing of a property company, police said.

They will also be charged with failing to inform the Stock Exchange of Thailand about later transactions involving the company, SC Asset, which was part of Mr Thaksin’s Shin Corp telecom empire, police added.

The couple were both ordered to appear before police between June 26 and 29 to hear the charges, said Sunai Manomai-udom, head of the Department of Special Investigations.

“If they intentionally fail to appear, we must issue an arrest warrant,” said Mr Sunai.

Mr Thaksin’s lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, said he was studying the charges to see if he could represent his client before the police.

Mr Sunai said the fraudulent filings covered up the fact that Mr Thaksin and his family held a controlling stake in the company.

If convicted, Mr Thaksin and his wife could each face five years in prison and fines of at least 500,000 baht (€11,600).

Army-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont promised to guarantee Mr Thaksin’s safety if he returned to comply with the summons.