AEC member testifies in Thaksin's assets case

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AEC member testifies in Thaksin's assets case

By The Nation

Published on November 13, 2009

 

 

Kaewsun Atibodhi, a former member of the defunct Assets Examination Committee (AEC), testified yesterday as a prosecution witness before the Supreme Court in the case in which fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra is accused of being unusually wealthy.

 

If found guilty, Thaksin could see Bt76.6 billion in assets seized, if the money is deemed to have been acquired improperly.

 

Kaewsun told yesterday's hearing an AEC investigation found that Thaksin and his then-wife, Khunying Pojaman, still held shares in companies based overseas - Ample Rich and Win Mark - although they claimed to have "sold" the shares to members of their family, including their son and daughter.

 

[color:brown]Under the constitution at the time, it was against the law for Cabinet members or their spouses to hold more than 5 per cent of shares in any company.[/color]

 

[color:brown]Kaewsun told the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders that Thaksin and Pojaman were found to hold more than 5 per cent of shares in the two companies when Thaksin was serving as prime minister.[/color]

 

[color:brown]He said that shares in the two companies were transferred to many family members but the money earned from the sale of the shares eventually went into Pojaman's bank accounts[/color].

 

During a cross-examination by Thaksin's lawyers, Kaewsun's qualification as an AEC member was questioned because he had earlier written a book critical of Thaksin. Kaewsun said he made the criticism sincerely due to Thaksin's action and that he had no personal grudge against him.

 

[color:blue]Thaksin's lawyers were told by the court not to repeat their questions too often. They said they did that because they could not understand Kaewsun's answers. The court told them his answers were well understood by judges and that the lawyers might have to look at themselves for failing to understand.[/color]

 

The AEC was set up after the coup in September 2006 to investigate alleged corruption by Thaksin and members of his Cabinet. A number of cases investigated by the AEC have since gone to court.

 

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very humourous.......