How the junta is tightening the screws

The truth about the allegations and scandals of the Thaksin regime looks more likely than ever to come out

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation

After announcement No 27 by the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) annulled for five years the voting rights of executives of any political party dissolved by the Constitution Court, announcement No 30 appears to be another clear measure to sweep aside the legacy of the Thaksin regime.

In one of its first moves the council made announcement No 23 which established the Assets Examination Committee (AEC). Under former Supreme Court president Sawat Chotephanich, its task was to investigate irregularities and corruption cases related to projects approved by the ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government.

At its first meeting, however, Sawat and Auditor-General Jaruvan Maintaka disagreed on whether the committee should investigate tax evasion involving the Shin Corp share sale and other issues.

Then the CDR's prominent legal adviser Meechai Ruchuphan entered the picture and that led to Jaruvan and some former senators proposing changes. Announcement No 30 appointed new members and gave more power to the AEC.

The committee is now empowered to investigate any projects or acts by members of the Thaksin government and others who are suspected of irregularities, including tax evasion. The panel can freeze their assets if they have sufficient evidence.

The panel can call for information from any of the agencies involved including the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG), the National Counter-Corruption Commission (NCCC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Bank of Thailand (BOT), the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), financial institutions and the Department of Lands and Revenue.

Although the AEC's term is only for one year, the results of its investigation will be considered legal, regardless of whether they have been completed in time or not. After finishing the cases, the AEC can send its investigation results to the attorney-general who has the same power as the NCCC. If the attorney-general disagrees, the cases could be passed to the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions in the Supreme Court, or a related court.

In short, the committee has more power to target wrong-doers either in - or related to - the Thaksin government.

Moreover, many names on the panel are anti-Thaksin advocates.

The committee includes Nam Yimyaem as chairman, Kaewsan Atibodhi as secretary-general, Sak Korsaengruang as spokesman, Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka, Klanarong Chantik, Saowanee Asavaroj, Udom Fuangfoong, Banjerd Singkaneti, Viroj Laohaphan, Jiraniti Hawanon and Amnuay Thantara.

Besides Jaruvan, the panel members are also experienced in graft busting. Nam chaired the Election Commission sub-committee investigating major parties hiring small parties to contest the April 2 general election. His panel concluded that Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party was guilty.

Former senator Kaewsan was a chairman of the Senate committee on the environment that investigated and concluded that a company in the Charoen Pokphand Group encroached on a mangrove forest in Rayong province to create a shrimp farm. His past roles clearly indicate an anti-Thaksin bias.

Klanarong is a member of and spokesman for the NCCC, and a former NCCC secretary-general. He also gave a speech for the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy during its campaign.

Viroj is a former director-general of the Revenue Department and an expert on tax laws.

The aim is clear, the staff are competent and willing, and the implementation should be swift.

The announcement was issued on Saturday. The panel members met the leader of the CDR on Sunday. They had the first meeting on Monday and agreed to investigate eight cases under suspicion and divided the work into three groups on Tuesday.

Some groups finished working on some cases and had concluded their comments by Wednesday, and the whole committee is expected to finish at least three cases by Monday when it will make its decisions known.

The eight cases include the purchase of CTX explosive detectors, the Suvarnabhumi Airport-Makkasan mass transit project, electricity for Suvarnabhumi Airport, export food-quality testing equipment, BMA fire-fighting equipment purchases, Panthongtae and Pinthongta Shinawatra's tax liability from the Shin Corp sale, Bt4 billion in Export-Import Bank loans to Burma and the rubber plantation scandal.

The first of the three groups are working on cases related to tax issues, with Viroj as the group head, and includes Klanarong, Sak and Jiraniti.

The second group concerns cases related to Suvarnabhumi Airport with Auditor-General Khunying Jaruvan as the panel group head, assisted by Kaewsan, Nam and Amnuay.

The third group is focusing on cases related to agriculture. Banjerd, Saowanee and Udom will oversee it.

Kaewsan said on Wednesday his group had finished one of three cases (involving Suvarnabhumi Airport) but the AEC's authority was still needed to act on the result.

Although the other groups remained silent, there was a news report yesterday that Jaruvan's group had finished all three cases.

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Authority and duties:

- Investigate any projects or acts by members of the Thaksin government and others who are suspected of irregularities, including tax evasion.

l Call for information from related agencies including the Office of the Auditor-General, the National Counter Corruption Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Bank of Thailand, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, financial institutions, the Lands Department and the Revenue Department.

- Seize or freeze the assets of the suspects, their spouses and minor-age children

Procedure:

- Probe results are considered a legal investigation and can be submitted to the Attorney-General or the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions for legal action.

The Nation