A THAI criminal court today approved a second arrest warrant for ousted and exiled premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife over corruption charges stemming from a controversial share sale.

"The court approved an arrest warrant" for Mr Thaksin and his wife Pojaman, said Pornchai Asavawattanaporn, the deputy chief of the Justice Ministry's Department of Special Investigations (DSI).

The DSI is investigating the former first couple's alleged fraudulent filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission over a 2003 listing of a property company owned by Mr Thaksin's family.

It said the arrest warrant was issued as the couple repeatedly failed to appear in Bangkok to hear fraud charges. They live in Britain, where Mr Thaksin has bought the Manchester City football club.

Mr Thaksin and Ms Pojaman were already slapped with arrest warrants by the Supreme Court in August over separate graft charges over a real estate deal in 2003.

The Supreme Court is set to consider on September 25 whether extradition proceedings should begin in that case.

In the land controversy, Mr Thaksin is accused of illegally influencing the deal to allow his wife to buy prime Bangkok real estate from a government agency for the bargain price of 772 million baht ($27 million), about one third of its estimated value.

The couple have been placed on an immigration blacklist, meaning that they can be immediately arrested if they try to enter Thailand.

Mr Thaksin has repeatedly said he will not return to the kingdom due to fears for his safety under the military-installed government. The couple have denied all the charges against them.

Pichit Cheunban, a lawyer for Mr Thaksin, said he would inform the billionaire ex-premier of the second arrest warrant.

"A team of his lawyers will discuss what to do next," Mr Pichit said.

Mr Thaksin has sued the chief of the DSI, Sunai Manomai-udom, for slander, seeking $52.7 million in damages. Mr Pichit said Mr Thaksin would not drop the case against Mr Sunai.

News Limited

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Officials travel to UK for Thaksin extradition talks

BANGKOK, Sept 13 (TNA) - Thai prosecutors and senior foreign ministry officials will travel to Britain by October at latest to discuss the country's extradition laws with the intention to find ways to extradite ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife to face charges in Thailand, according to an Office of the Attorney-General official Thursday.

Samphan Sarathana, chief prosecutor for foreign litigation, told a press conference following a meeting held earlier Thursday on the extradition treaty made between Thailand and Britain that it was found that the couple insofar as British law is concerned, did not commit any wrongdoing in doing business with government agencies while Mr. Thaksin was in power.

Therefore, there is a need for officials of the two countries to discuss otheer avenues to extradite Mr. Thaksin and his wife Pojaman, now living in London, to fight charges in Thailand, said Mr. Samphan.

The couple are facing arrest warrants after they failed to appear in the Supreme Court on August 14 to defend charges over the land purchase in Bangkok's prime business area by Mrs. Pojaman at a much below-market price while her husband was prime minister.

Noppadol Pattama, legal advisor to Mr. Thaksin, has said Mr. Thaksin would certainly not return to Thailand, citing safety reasons to defend charges against him over the Ratchadaphisek land purchase scandal.

Mr. Thaksin had earlier announced that he would return only after a general election has been held and democracy restored in Thailand.

The Supreme Court's criminal division for holders of political positions ordered the couple to appear before the court for the first hearing set on September 25.

The South Bangkok Criminal Court has also approved warrants for the couple on charges of concealing shareholdings in SC Asset.

TNA

Rakesh Saxena has been fighting his extradition from Canada to Thailand for over ten years. It's going to be even harder for Thailand to get an extradition order for Thaksin in the UK.

Info on Saxena

Quote:On January 27, 2006 Rakesh Saxena lost his B.C. Court of Appeal bid to overturn the federal justice minister's order that he be surrendered to Thai authorities, despite his contention that he could by killed or tossed in an inhumane prison cell in Thailand. Saxena's lawyer appealed. Rakesh is currently on house arrest at his Richmond residence. One of the possible reasons cited for him being released was the recent coup d’état in Thailand, which ousted the internationally recognized government, thus causing significant turmoil for the crown.