TotallyOz Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 In a politically-loaded ruling, Criminal Court on Thursday found Pojaman Shinawatra - wife of coup-ousted premier Thaksin - guilty of tax evasion in a 1997 share transaction, court official said. The heavily-guarded court, surrounded by some 2,000 Thaksin-supporters holding red roses, sentenced Pojaman to three years in jail for avoiding a tax bite amounting to 546 million baht (16.3 million dollars) on a share transfer to her step-brother Bannapot Damapong and her secretary Karnchanapa Honghern in 1997. Bannapot was also sentenced to three years in jail and Karnchanapa to two years. Thaksin and the couple's three children sat stony-faced throughout the ruling at the Bangkok court which was guarded by some 500 police. Pojaman had pleaded not guilty to the charge of tax evasion, claiming that the 738 million baht (22 million dollars) share transfer of Shinawatra Computer and Communications stock was a gift, not a business transaction. The court said it had decided on a heavy sentence because both Pojaman and Bannapot were well-known public figures with responsibility to society. Pojaman, who managed Thaksin's billion-dollar fortune and ran his business empire when he was prime minister between 2001 to 2006, is expected to appeal the ruling. The court's verdict could pave the way for similar guilty rulings against Thaksin who faces at least three cases of malfeasance and abuse of power at the Supreme Court for Political Office Holders in the coming months. Thaksin, a former billionaire telecommunication tycoon who was prime minister between 2001 to 2006, was ousted by a military coup on September 19, 2006, on charges of corruption, dividing the nation and undermining democracy and the monarchy. Thaksin remains one of Thailand's most controversial political figures. Using populist policies Thaksin won the devotion of masses of rural and urban poor, but amid growing evidence of corruption and self-serving policies during his increasingly monopolistic rule, the Bangkok-based middle class and political elite turned against him in early 2006, ushering in his downfall. http://bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=129171 Quote
Guest Steve1903 Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 I love this idea of taking ex-political leaders to court. Do you suppose if it happened with all of them that one day they'd find one who was innocent? Quote
Guest Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 I love this idea of taking ex-political leaders to court. Do you suppose if it happened with all of them that one day they'd find one who was innocent? NO. But, at least this country had the balls to go after him. The USA is ball-less when it comes to corruption in its government. Impeachment for a blow job but not for lying to congress and violating the constitution? Quote
Guest Geezer Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 I believe Clinton’s impeachment was for lying under oath rather than his blow job. Monica Lewinsky said she is finished with Democrats. They leave a bad taste in her mouth. Quote
Guest luvthai Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 The court should have fined her the 540million baht tax due as well as giving her the 3 year sentence. Hitting them in the purse is harder for them to accept. I would be surprised to see them return from thier overseas trip. Quote
Gaybutton Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 I would be surprised to see them return from thier overseas trip. It's hard to predict what will happen now. Some are saying that neither she nor Thaksin, if he too ends up convicted, will ever serve a day in prison. Apparently, despite the verdict, they are still allowed to leave Thailand. Some say that is tantamount to exiling them, but I wonder what will happen if they do leave, refuse to return, and then their passports are revoked. Quote
Guest Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 It's hard to predict what will happen now. Some are saying that neither she nor Thaksin, if he too ends up convicted, will ever serve a day in prison. Apparently, despite the verdict, they are still allowed to leave Thailand. Some say that is tantamount to exiling them, but I wonder what will happen if they do leave, refuse to return, and then their passports are revoked. Passports are easy to come by for the rich. They can easily get one and live abroad as long as they wish. The political climate will change here and someone will pardon them, that is my prediction. Someone suggested that they have to pay back the money. I agree 100 percent. Also, the New York Times article I read said that they had over 2 billion USD frozen in Thailand. Anyone know how much they have in other accounts available? Quote
Gaybutton Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 the New York Times article I read said that they had over 2 billion USD frozen in Thailand. Maybe they ought to try the kind of thing most of us receive in spam Emails . . . Dr. Mweleke Mwenene from Nigeria, who is going to deposit three hundred trillion dollars into your bank account to get the money out. We've all received those kinds of Emails. Well, if Thaksin ever needs to deposit 2-billion US dollars into someone's bank account, I volunteer . . . Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 Wish the US had guts enough to take on some of the current leaders of our government!! How about Bush in Hague for War Crimes - Torture! Quote
Guest Hedda Posted August 1, 2008 Posted August 1, 2008 Maybe if I could figure out just what was illegal in how Pojaman Thaksin chose to give her brother a very expensive wedding gift of some stock, I might see how this trial was proof that "the Thais have the balls to go after" crooked politicians. In case you missed it, this transaction took place in 1997, years before Khun Thaksin became Prime Minister of Thailand. As far as I know, Pojaman Thaksin has never held public office in her life, nor has her brother, so it's difficult to see how convicting the two of evading taxes on what they say was a family gift constitutes fighting government corruption. As the article quoted by GayThailand so aptly begins: "In a politically-loaded ruling, Criminal Court on Thursday found Pojaman Shinawatra - wife of coup-ousted premier Thaksin - guilty of tax evasion in a 1997 share transaction..." I hope some of the folks commenting here recognize that political trials, in which the judicial process is manipulated to effect a political goal, are hardly what one might call " the search for justice." Just ask Anwar Ibraham in neighboring Malaysia, who keeps getting indicted for sodomy every time it looks like he might be set win the next election. Did it ever occur to you that the same thing might be happening in Thailand ? Quote
Bob Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 Hedda, I'm not so sure that's what happened. What you're saying is what the Defendants claimed as was reported in the papers. What the newspapers haven't reported in depth were the actual factual findings of the Court. Having read another couple of articles a long time ago, the drift I got was that the prosecution claimed that the stock transfer paperwork was dated in 1997 but that it actually happened shortly before the Shin stock sale (which may explain why the urled newspaper report makes a reference to the Court saying that the offense happened while her husband was prime minister). We, of course, don't know for sure as the Thai press reporting (at least in English) is generally worthless. Quote
