16 July 2009 10:30 AMBANGKOK (Reuters) - Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Thursday challenged a move to seize 76 billion baht (1.3 billion pounds) of his family's assets, which the government claims were gained through abuse of power.
The former telecoms tycoon, whose assets have been frozen since he was ousted as premier in a 2006 military coup, says the government's case is politically motivated and groundless
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Thursday challenged a move to seize 76 billion baht (1.3 billion pounds) of his family's assets, which the government claims were gained through abuse of power.
The former telecoms tycoon, whose assets have been frozen since he was ousted as premier in a 2006 military coup, says the government's case is politically motivated and groundless.
"The junta launched many corruption charges against me to justify their actions," Thaksin said in a hand-written statement seen by Reuters and due to be read before the Supreme Court, which opened the case Thursday.
"They also appointed my opponents to investigate me. How can I get a fair trial?"Thaksin, sentenced in absentia in October to two years in prison for graft and now in self-imposed exile, has used money from offshore accounts to fund his globe-trotting life.
Thaksin's Thai passport has been revoked and he now travels on passports provided by countries he has pledged to invest in, among them Nicaragua.
The frozen assets come from the $1.9 billion tax-free sale of telecommunications conglomerate Shin Corporation in 2006 to Singapore state company Temasek, which sparked street protests that led to his overthrow in the bloodless putsch.
SALE LEGAL
Thaksin's lawyers say he will argue that he and his wife, from whom he is now divorced, sold all the shares they owned in the company to their children in 2000. They subsequently sold through the market, and such a deal was tax-free in Thailand.
The court heard testimony from two witnesses, the first of 90 Thaksin has listed for his case. The trial is expected to be completed by November 19.
Separately, 35 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the extra-parliamentary group behind the protests against Thaksin, reported to police Thursday to answer terrorism charges after last year's blockade of Bangkok's airports.
Those charged include media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, retired general Chamlong Srimuang and Somsak Kosaisuk, the head of the New Politics Party, the PAD's recently formed political arm. All have disputed the terrorism charge.
Current Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who was a speaker at rallies held during the blockade, is also charged with the same offence and reported to police earlier this week.
Kasit has refused to step down over his PAD role.
(Additional reporting by Chalathip Thirasoonthrakul; Editing by Martin Petty) (c) Reuters 2010. All rights reserved.
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