Arrest warrant issued for Thaksin

• Last Updated: September 16. 2008 9:25PM UAE / September 16. 2008 5:25PM GMT

Members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) stand next to a large protest poster featuring a picture of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra during a demonstation in Bangkok on Aug 19 2008. Pornchai Kittiwongsakul / AFP

BANGKOK, THAILAND // A Thai court issued a second arrest warrant today for deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled to London last month to escape a string of corruption cases at home.

The Thai Supreme Court said Mr Thaksin failed to appear in court today to acknowledge charges against him in connection with a government loan to Myanmar while he was prime minister.

Mr Thaksin and his wife, Ms Pojaman, left Thailand on July 31, telling authorities they were travelling to Japan and then China for the Olympics opening ceremony.

Mr Thaksin then failed to appear at a court hearing on Aug 11 and sent a letter from London saying the couple had fled to the UK because they feared the Thai courts were biased against them.

Mr Thaksin faces charges of conflict of interest and abuse of power for approving a 2004 low-interest loan to Myanmar in exchange for satellite services and equipment orders from the Shin Satellite company, then owned by his family.

The 4bn-baht (Dh428m) loan was issued by the state-controlled Export-Import Bank of Thailand. The Supreme Court suspended hearings in connection with the case “until the authorities concerned are able to bring the defendant to court,” said Judge Panya Suthibhadi, a member of the court’s nine-judge panel.

Mr Thaksin, who was deposed in a 2006 military coup, faces a string of court cases and investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power during his five years in office.

After Mr Thaksin and his wife fled the country, the Supreme Court issued an initial arrest warrant in connection to a malfeasance and conflict of interest trial.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charges stem from Ms Pojaman’s 2003 purchase of land in central Bangkok from a government agency.

An anti-corruption law bars prime ministers and their spouses from doing business with government agencies.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict in that case tomorrow.
Mr Thaksin, 59, faces several other court cases and investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power during his five years in office.

He has repeatedly claimed he is innocent of all charges. On July 31, the criminal court convicted his wife of evading millions of dollars in taxes and sentenced her to three years in prison.

She was released on bail and the couple left the country later that day.

* AP