Former PM, wife jump bail, arrest warrants out
POST REPORTERS
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 - Former PM, wife jump bail, arrest warrants out - Corruption trials to continue in his absence - Accuses his opponents of meddling with courts |
The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions yesterday issued warrants for the arrest of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Khunying Potjaman after the couple jumped bail.
The warrants came a few hours after Mr Thaksin released a statement saying he and his wife were in England and would not attend the court's hearing.
In its injunction, the court ruled that the couple failed to honour bail conditions and forfeited 13 million baht worth of bail which had been posted by their daughter Pinthongta.
"The defendants did not return to Thailand and report to the court, as required, which is a violation of the bail agreement.
"The court rules to confiscate the bail money, to order the bank to hand over the bail money within five days, and to issue arrest warrants for the two defendants," the court said.
Scores of journalists waited for the couple to appear before the Supreme Court at 9am yesterday, unaware that the Thaksin family had failed to return to Bangkok on Sunday from Beijing, where they had attended the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
In the hand-written statement faxed to news outlets, Mr Thaksin apologised to the court and his supporters for failing to appear.
He blamed his political opponents' meddling in the judicial system and threats against his life for his decision.
"My cases have been pre-judged, to get rid of me and my family, who are regarded by a group of people as their political enemies, irrespective of the law and international principles of justice," he said in the statement.
Mr Thaksin and Khunying Potjaman were scheduled to testify in court on Aug 22 in their trial over the Ratchadapisek land purchase, with the court being expected to hand down a verdict after Sept 2.
Following Mr Thaksin's statement, Attorney-General Chaikasem Nitisiri summoned Sirisak Tiyapan, executive director of the International Affairs Office, to discuss international laws related to political asylum and extradition treaties.
The couple's escape triggered speculation they will seek political asylum in England. Last month's three-year jail sentence imposed on Khunying Potjaman for tax fraud is believed to have prompted them to flee.
Mr Thaksin's claim of interference in the judiciary is seen by many as an attempt to justify his widely-speculated plan to seek political asylum abroad.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said the ministry had not been informed about any move by Mr Thaksin to seek political asylum.
He said the ministry needed more information before making any decision on the passports held by Mr Thaksin, including taking into account the court order.
The former prime minister has two passports.
One of them is the diplomatic passport returned to him by then-foreign minister Noppadon Pattama soon after he was appointed to the top position at the ministry.
The other is an ordinary passport.
The ministry will not seek Mr Thaksin's extradition from Britain until it receives a request from the court and the Office of the Attorney-General, the spokesman added.
The British government refused to comment on Mr Thaksin's case.
"We do not comment on individual cases," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman, Tom Hoskin, told reporters in London, Bloomberg reported.
Former member of the dissolved Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) Udom Fuangfung said Mr Thaksin's claims were self-righteous.
"He might be aware that he couldn't buy anything else here and might know his own destiny," said Mr Udom, who insisted that the ASC's investigations against Mr Thaksin were in compliance with the law and without any prejudice.
Mr Udom said the National Counter Corruption Commission and the courts would proceed with all cases against Mr Thaksin and his wife in their absence, including the criminal case over the 772-million-baht Ratchadapisek land deal and the civil case involving the freezing of 69 billion baht of their assets.
The statute of limitations for all the cases is about 20 years, he added.
Former ASC spokesman Sak Korsaengruang sneered at Mr Thaksin's claim about being unfairly treated, as it was made after his wife and her brother Bannapot Damapong were convicted of tax evasion.
Mr Sak pointed out that Mr Thaksin had been fighting his court cases in Thailand for a while and had never previously complained about the qualification of judges considering his cases.
He added that the deposed prime minister's fears for his safety would be justifiable if people in the current government, the legislature and the judicial system had been hostile to Mr Thaksin and his family.
Mr Thaksin asked the Criminal Court's permission to temporarily leave the country to give special lectures in Japan.
He departed on July 31 for Japan and met his wife on Aug 5 in Beijing, where they both attended the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
On Sunday he flew to London instead of coming back to Bangkok as scheduled.
Khunying Potjaman was released on bail on July 31 after the Criminal Court sentenced her to three years in jail for tax evasion.
