Thai former PM Thaksin sentenced 2-year imprisonment

Thailand's Supreme Court Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions pronounced on Tuesday a two-year sentence on a land purchase scandal against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thaksin is the first Thai prime minister who was adjudicated of imprisonment by the court.

The reading of the verdict started at 2:00 p.m. local time, while the former prime minister and his wife Khunying Potjaman were both absent. The Supreme Court ruled against Thaksin after reading the verdict for about two hours.

Thaksin was ousted in a September 2006 coup and is now in exile in Britain. The Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 to say that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra knew about the land purchase by his wife from the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF).

The court ruled that with the knowledge, Thaksin also carried out actions that constituted conflict of interest on part of Thaksin as a state official.

The jail term was given without suspension. However, because Thaksin is currently living in London of Britain, an arrest warrant was also issued for him.

The court ruled 7 to 2 to clear Thaksin's wife of all charges, citing that she was not a state official. Therefore the court revoked an arrest warrant on her of this trial.
Thaksin was found guilty of violating articles 4, 100 and 122 of the National Counter Corruption Commission Law which bars holders of public office and their spouses from entering into a contract with the state.

Before reaching the verdict, the Supreme Court said the Assets Examination Committee had the power to probe the Ratchadaphisek land case against Thaksin and his wife.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Financial Institutions Development Fund is a state agency so there is ground for trial in the Ratchadaphisek land case against Thaksin and his wife.

The court ruled down an agreement of Thaksin's defense team that the FIDF is not under state administration and that the Ratchadaphisek land purchase did not fall under Article 100 (3) of the National Counter Corruption Act, which covers state agencies.

Since the court ruled that the FIDF is state agency, the land purchase fell under the anti-graft act.

Immediately after the sentence, Thaksin spoke by telephone to the Reuters that he was not surprised, and had expected the jail term.

"I have been informed of the result. I had long anticipated that it would turn out this way," he was quoted as saying, adding that the case was politically motivated.

Anti-government group People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters at the Government House compound they have occupied since late August cheered loudly at the verdict.

Earlier, the government spokesman said the verdict would not cause any change to the current political situation because Thaksin no longer had a role in Thai politics.

The Supreme Court accepted the land case for trial in July 2007after which arrest warrants were issued for Thaksin and his wife, who were then residing in exile in Britain.

On Jan. 8, 2008, Khunying Potjaman returned to Thailand to report herself to the court and was released on bail. Then, Thaksin came back to Thailand and denied all charges during a court hearing on March 11, 2008.

On Aug. 11, both defendants jumped bail, while the court continued its hearings in absentia. The court was earlier scheduled to deliver its verdict on Sept. 17, but it was postponed to Oct. 21.