The Assets Examination Committee (AEC) yesterday unanimously ruled to indict ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra over corruption allegations involving a Bt4-billion soft loan to Burma.
A panel headed by Sak Korsaengreung will recommend to the attorney-general within two weeks that Thaksin be charged with violating Articles 152 and 157 of the Criminal Code, for dereliction of duty and malfeasance by seeking a vested interest for the Shinawatra family.
The panel alleged Thaksin had instructed Export-Import Bank of Thailand to extend the loan to Burma to secure business interests of Shin Satellite (ShinSat) and Shin Corp, which be-longed to Thaksin's family.
The panel found Thaksin, during an "unofficial" negotiation, promised Burmese leaders more loans. When the Burmese sought additional funds, Thaksin instructed then-foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai to respond that Thailand would increase the loan from Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion for Burma's telecommunications systems and reduce the interest rate without Cabinet approval.
The AEC said the move had cost the bank Bt140 million in damages. Total damage is estimated at Bt670 million.
Thaksin also instructed the bank to extend the grace period from two to five years, in order to secure the business interest of ShinSat and win a Bt539-million contract to develop a telecommunications system and provide equipment.
Sak said the AEC found at the time Shin Corp was the major shareholder in ShinSat. The major shareholders included Pinthongta Shina-watra, Bhanapot Damapong, Panthongtae Shinawatra, Ample Rich Investment and Yingluck Shinawatra.
Thaksin said he transferred Shin Corp shares to others before becoming premier in 2001. He denied Panthongtae, Bhanapot, Pinthongta and Yingluck held Shin Corp shares on his behalf. The panel found Thaksin's defence hard to believe because of incriminating evidence - a promissory note signed by Bhanapot.
The panel found Bhana-pot signed a Bt102-million promissory note dated March 16, 1999, to pay "Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra" for the share purchase. The panel suspected the note was written after, as Pojaman was made a khunying on May 5, 1999.
Sak dismissed Thaksin's argument the loan extension was a commitment under the Bagan Declaration as a telecommunications agreement was not included.
He said ShinSat and Shin Corp went to Burma to demonstrate telecommunications technology and although the Burmese government proposed ratifying the telecommunications agreement in the Bagan Declaration, the Foreign Ministry disapproved of it.
PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE
A panel headed by Sak Korsaengreung will recommend to the attorney-general within two weeks that Thaksin be charged with violating Articles 152 and 157 of the Criminal Code, for dereliction of duty and malfeasance by seeking a vested interest for the Shinawatra family.
The panel alleged Thaksin had instructed Export-Import Bank of Thailand to extend the loan to Burma to secure business interests of Shin Satellite (ShinSat) and Shin Corp, which be-longed to Thaksin's family.
The panel found Thaksin, during an "unofficial" negotiation, promised Burmese leaders more loans. When the Burmese sought additional funds, Thaksin instructed then-foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai to respond that Thailand would increase the loan from Bt3 billion to Bt4 billion for Burma's telecommunications systems and reduce the interest rate without Cabinet approval.
The AEC said the move had cost the bank Bt140 million in damages. Total damage is estimated at Bt670 million.
Thaksin also instructed the bank to extend the grace period from two to five years, in order to secure the business interest of ShinSat and win a Bt539-million contract to develop a telecommunications system and provide equipment.
Sak said the AEC found at the time Shin Corp was the major shareholder in ShinSat. The major shareholders included Pinthongta Shina-watra, Bhanapot Damapong, Panthongtae Shinawatra, Ample Rich Investment and Yingluck Shinawatra.
Thaksin said he transferred Shin Corp shares to others before becoming premier in 2001. He denied Panthongtae, Bhanapot, Pinthongta and Yingluck held Shin Corp shares on his behalf. The panel found Thaksin's defence hard to believe because of incriminating evidence - a promissory note signed by Bhanapot.
The panel found Bhana-pot signed a Bt102-million promissory note dated March 16, 1999, to pay "Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra" for the share purchase. The panel suspected the note was written after, as Pojaman was made a khunying on May 5, 1999.
Sak dismissed Thaksin's argument the loan extension was a commitment under the Bagan Declaration as a telecommunications agreement was not included.
He said ShinSat and Shin Corp went to Burma to demonstrate telecommunications technology and although the Burmese government proposed ratifying the telecommunications agreement in the Bagan Declaration, the Foreign Ministry disapproved of it.
PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE
No comments:
Post a Comment