THAILAND: Former PM still wants football club
Updated
Thailand's deposed Prime Minister says he will sue for the return of more than a billion dollars frozen by the Thai authorities. A newly formed Assets Examination Committee has frozen 21 accounts of Thaksin Shinawatra and his family claiming their wealth had been obtained illegally. The Committee's action further complicates Mr Thaksin's life in exile and throws into doubt his bid to buy into the Manchester City Football Club.
Presenter: Karon Snowdon
Speakers: Thaksin Shinawatra's lawyer and spokesman, Noppadol Pattama; Head of the Thai Rak Thai party, Chaturon Chaiseng
SNOWDON: Thailand's ruling junta has frozen more than one and a half billion US dollars in numerous accounts belonging to Thaksin Shinawatra, his wife and other family members.
The new Assets Examination Committee said in its statement that the family had earnt the money corruptly and through the abuse of power during Mr Thaksin's political career.
Mr Thaksin's lawyer and spokesman Noppadol Pattama spoke to me ahead of a press conference he was to give in London.
He says Mr Thaksin feels disappointed and unfairly treated.
NOPPADOL: He feels that he has been unfairly and illegally treated by the Assets Examination Committee. He is going to sue the Committee, both in civil and criminal case, yeah.
SNOWDON: Will that be in Bangkok?
NOPPADOL: In Bangkok yes.
SNOWDON: The frozen funds include much of the two billion dollars the family banked from its sale of the telecommunications giant Shin Corporation last year.
The sale of national assets such as satellite and telephone companies for personal gain outraged many Thais and led to huge anti-government demonstrations
The sale - to the Singapore government linked Temasek is under investigation.
Its a preoccupation of the military junta which last month banned the ruling Thai Rak Thai party and its members including Thaksin from politics for five years.
The head of the Thai Rak Thai party Chaturon Chaiseng doesn't deny there was corruption, when he spoke to our Correspondent Karen Percy.
CHATURON: There's some problem with corruption but the corruption cases still need to be proven by the judicial system and so far they have not been proven. I cannot guarantee there was no corruption but at the same time people should be assumed innocent as long as they are not proven guilty by the court. And then it should not be acceptable for a state mechanism to fulfil the goal of the military regime.
SNOWDON: Local newspaper reports claim part of the reason behind the freezing of his assets is to prevent Thaksin from bankrolling the mass rallies in his support which are taking place almost daily in Bangkok.
NOPPADOL: We deny any allegation that he and his family support the rallies in Bangkok.
SNOWDON: Lawyer Noppadol Pattama says life now is hard for the former PM.
NOPPADOL: We have to apply for certain allowance for daily use.
SNOWDON: Will he have difficulty meeting daily expenses now?
NOPPADOL: Yes he will face difficulty. He will only carry on a modest lifestyle and the assets can't be used to invest in any business.
SNOWDON: The shortage of funds could jeopardise Mr Thaksin's bid for the Manchester City Football Club, reportedly involving 100 million pounds.
The Manchester Board issued a stock exchange statement noting his financial difficulties and that discussions are underway about their implications in respect of Mr Thasksin's potentially making an offer for the Company.
Surprisingly, Noppadol Pattama says the deal is still on with a result possible in days.
NOPPADOL: Yeah I don't know the status of the negotiation but somehow one way or the other we have to find the cash to finance the deal.
SNOWDON: So Mr Thaksin is still keen to pursue that and to ensure it doesn't fall apart?
NOPPADOL: Yes his interest remains undiminished to pursue that transaction.
SNOWDON: If this hiccup hadn't happened, when would the deal have been finalised nay idea?
NOPPADOL: It should be in the next few days, I think in the next few days, its shouldn't be a matter of weeks, its should be the next few days.
SNOWDON: Of finalising the Manchester deal?
NOPPADOL: That's right, yeah yeah.
