Ousted Thai PM faces arrest on return
Friday, 28 December 2007
BANGKOK, Dec 27 (Reuters): Ousted and exiled Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose supporters triumphed in a weekend general election, faces arrest on corruption and fraud charges if he returns home, a senior prosecutor said Thursday"The police have to comply with arrest warrants which have already been issued by the courts," said Samphan Sarathana, a senior official in the Attorney General's office.
The Supreme Court issued warrants in August for Thaksin and his wife on charges of official misconduct and violating a ban on politicians or their close relatives doing deals with state bodies while in office.
Thaksin, booted out in a 2006 coup, said on Tuesday he would return "by April at the latest" to prove his innocence after the People Power Party (PPP), which openly supports him, won the most seats in a December 23 election.
With 233 out of 480 seats in parliament, PPP is far and away the strongest party and looks set to form a coalition government.
The Supreme Court issued warrants in August for Thaksin and his wife on charges of official misconduct and violating a ban on politicians or their close relatives doing deals with state bodies while in office.
Thaksin, booted out in a 2006 coup, said on Tuesday he would return "by April at the latest" to prove his innocence after the People Power Party (PPP), which openly supports him, won the most seats in a December 23 election.
With 233 out of 480 seats in parliament, PPP is far and away the strongest party and looks set to form a coalition government.