Attorney General filing soon to seize Thaksin assets

Bangkok, Aug 13 (TNA) -- Thailand's Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is confident that within one week it will be able to proceed with the record confiscation of Bt76 billion in assets earlier frozen from the holdings of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his family on charges of having abused his power to make undue personal and family gains.

Deputy Attorney General Waiyawuth Lortrakul, who earlier headed a
subcommittee under the now-disbanded Assets Examination Committee (AEC),
said the proposed confiscation of the assets of Mr. Thaksin and his family
valued at Bt76 billion will be forwarded next week by Attorney General
Chaikasem Nitisiri to Supreme Court judges dealing with criminal lawsuits
involving persons with political status.

The former premier had recently failed to appear in court and were
believed to be seeking political asylum in Britain.

The collected assets of Mr. Thaksin and his family were frozen in 16 bank
accounts, including Bt18.1 billion at Bangkok Bank, Bt2.1 billion at the
Bank of Ayudhya, Bt39.6 billion at Siam Commercial Bank, Bt1.4 billion at
Thanachart Bank, Bt500 million at the Bank for Agriculture and
Agricultural Cooperatives, Bt15.7 billion at the Government Savings Bank,
Bt10 billion at the Islamic Bank of Thailand and Bt2.7 billion at the
Securities and Land Depository Centre.

They might become assets of the state in due course if the Supreme Court
rule in favour of the confiscation of the foreclosed holdings of the
former premier and his family. (TNA)