Thaksin lawyers likely to appeal Supreme Court’s assets seizure

BANGKOK, Feb 27 (TNA) — The legal team of Thailand’s ousted, fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have begun assessing the verdict by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions in seizing Bt46.37 billion of his frozen assets and are most likely to contest the case, according to Noppadon Pattama, Mr Thaksin’s legal adviser.

Mr Noppadon, a former Thai foreign affairs minister, said the lawyers began studying the verdict early Saturday and would seek to make an appeal under either the Thai or international legal framework.

Under Thai court procedures defence attorneys may present new evidence on to the case within 30 days, starting from the date the verdict was handed down.

On Friday, the court ordered the seizure of Bt46.37 billion of the total Bt76.6 billion in frozen assets claimed by the Thaksin family. The court ruled that
Mr Thaksin and his former wife had concealed their declarable assets and that the ex-premier had abused his position as premier to enrich their businesses.

Mr Noppadon said Mr Thaksin’s lawyers will issue a statement within one or two days and expected to initially seek justice in Thailand because there remain several issues to be presented to the court.

He added that the legal team also considered the option of taking the case to the international arena.

Mr Noppadon read Mr Thaksin’s statement saying that the deposed premier and his family did not receive justice and were against the verdict because it was “against the law and the facts”.

Stressing that the seized assets were derived from his previous work before he entered politics, the statement said that the assets belong to his family and children so it was unfair to them. (TNA)