ID :
369295
Fri, 05/29/2015 - 15:11
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Ex-Thai ministers face tough actions

BANGKOK, May 29 (TNA) - Some ex-Thai ministers have faced tough actions by the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and police. NACC ruled on Friday that former education minister Somsak Prisana-nantakul is “unusually rich” and has sent the complaint to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to confiscate his house, worth 16 million baht, built while he was the minister. NACC Secretary-General Sansern Poljeak told journalists of the update, saying NACC found that Somsak built the house in Wiset Chai Chan District of the central Ang Thong Province in 1998 when he was then deputy education minister and the construction completed in 2011, costing slightly more than 16 million baht. Sansern acknowledged that Somsak had countered charges, but NACC found that his defence did not hold sufficient reasons and, therefore, sent the charge to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) so that it could forward the complaint to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions in order to seize the ex-minister's asset to the state. Besides, NACC ruled on January 20, 2011 that Somsak, a senior member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, intended to submit false assets and liabilities because he did not disclose that he owned the house. Sansern revealed that the case was then sent by NACC to the court, which later ruled that the ex-minister was guilty in submitting false assets and liabilities. NACC is also reportedly considering to file a new case against impeached ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and ex-deputy prime minister and foreign minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul on charge of abuse their power by issuing new passports to exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's elder brother, during their previous Phue Thai Party-led government, with a final decision expected by next month. Yingluck has already faced charges related to her previous administration's loss-ridden rice pledging schemes. On early Friday morning, a squad of police commandos raided a residence of ex-commerce minister Chaiya Sasomsap in Bangkok's neighbouring Nakhon Pathom Province and seized several firearms and ammunition for a further probe whether they were acquired and possessed legally and for a future action consequently. (TNA)

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