Thai court issues arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Thaksin
On October 11, the Supreme Court of Thailand issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the latest accusation related to abuse of power.
Mr Thaksin - who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and remains in exile abroad to avoid jail for corruption - is one of 27 defendants summoned to court over his involvement in loans from state-owned Krung Thai Bank.
According to AFP, one of the nine presiding judges said that Mr. Thaksin's absence was "a sign of escape."
“The court decided to issue an arrest warrant for only the first defendant (Thaksin) and his trial will be postponed until prosecutors bring him before the court,” the presiding judge said.
Mr Thaksin is still considered a divisive figure in Thai politics, where his sister Yingluck Shinawatra is Prime Minister.
Mr Thaksin faces five charges including abuse of power and manipulating banking laws along with three other defendants, including executives of Krung Thai Bank.
They are accused of using their positions to allow banks to approve loans to troubled companies while Mr Thaksin was still in power.
The abuse of power charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and state prosecutors are seeking up to 10.5 billion baht ($340 million) in compensation.
Six arrest warrants have been issued for Mr Thaksin since he fled Thailand in 2008, including one allegation of abuse of power for land deals and four other corruption charges./.
(According to Vietnam+) - DT
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