"Thaksin is guilty"

The Supreme Court Tuesday found former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra guilty in the Ratchada land case. He was sentenced to 2 years in jail. Pojaman Shinawatra, his wife, was found not guilty and the court revoked arrest warrant against her. The court found that Thaksin had violated Article 100 and Article 122 of the National Counter Corruption Act, which states that government officials, including prime ministers, and their spouses are prohibited from entering into or having interests in contracts with state agencies under their supervision. The high court ruled to sanction the land transaction and dismissed the prosecution request to seize the plot.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30086540

It will be interesting to see the British government's response to this verdict as they consider Thaksin's application for political asylum. And apparently the poor chap's Roller has been damaged in London - http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/ ... d=30086377

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[Brad the Impala]

And interesting to see if the Thai Government actually request Thaksin's extradition. Seems unlikely to me.

The BBC has reported that the Thai Government has requested Toxins extradition back to Thailand. Whether this is a fact, or that the UK Government act on it remains to be seen. Toxin could also fight extradition in the courts in the U.K. which, with his wealth, and the top lawyers that he can afford could take months if not years.

Nothing to do with this post, but doesn't it make a mockery of the Thai legal system when Kevin Quill was given a sentence three times as long for a crime even the original judge found him highly unlikely to have commited!

[Brad the Impala]

The BBC has reported that the Thai Government has requested Toxins extradition back to Thailand. Whether this is a fact, or that the UK Government act on it remains to be seen. Toxin could also fight extradition in the courts in the U.K. which, with his wealth, and the top lawyers that he can afford could take months if not years.

Perhaps there is another BBC report, but the report that I read said that the Chief Prosecutor in the case said that he wanted Thaksin extradited, rather than the Thai Government.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7681416.stm

The verdict could affect his application for asylum but not his extradition since he is an ex "Head of State", as I posted on 12 August:

"As an ex-head of state who is "only" wanted for national rather than international crimes (such as torture, genocide, etc) he will probably have immunity under the State Immunity Act, 1978, as Pinochet arguably had, although his part in the "War on Drugs" could void this or even be part of a private prosecution.

His family have no such immunity, so if they are not extradited it will be because no application has been made by Thailand, not because he owns property in the UK or for any other similar reason."

The verdict could affect his application for asylum but not his extradition since he is an ex "Head of State", as I posted on 12 August:

"As an ex-head of state who is "only" wanted for national rather than international crimes (such as torture, genocide, etc) he will probably have immunity under the State Immunity Act, 1978, as Pinochet arguably had, although his part in the "War on Drugs" could void this or even be part of a private prosecution.

His family have no such immunity, so if they are not extradited it will be because no application has been made by Thailand, not because he owns property in the UK or for any other similar reason."

You may be right as a matter of law, but I doubt Taksin's wife would be extradited unless he were too - unless her alleged crime was totally unrelated to his period in office (e.g. there was evidence she had murdered a maid or some such thing). There's still a fair amount of wiggle room for the Home secrtetary to refuse extradition.

Now they will have to jail just about every single Thai politician - past and present - or will they?

Now they will have to jail just about every single Thai politician - past and present - or will they?

I guess if they being a prosecution in the Courts and it is successful - or are you proposing by-passing the legal system?

The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions will send its verdict against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the Office of the Attorney General to forward England. The court will send both Thai and English versions to Foreign Affairs Department of the Office of the Attorney General to forward to England as evidence against Thakin's request for political asylum in the country.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30086546

And some background on the whole saga - http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10 ... 086560.php

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

"Thaksin is guilty"

yeh sure.