THAILAND: Thai court acquits Thaksin's ex-wife, Potjaman Na Pombejra in a tax evasion case

Record ID: 743757

  • Title: THAILAND: Thai court acquits Thaksin's ex-wife, Potjaman Na Pombejra in a tax evasion case
  • Date: 25th August 2011
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (AUGUST 24, 2011) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THAI CRIMINAL COURT CAMERAMEN STANDING ON STEPS PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT OF COURT CARS CARRYING THAKSIN SHINAWATRA'S EX-WIFE, POTJAMAN NA POMBEJRA DRIVING IN FRONT OF COURT BUILDING. POTJAMAN GETTING OUT OF CAR WITH HER CHILDREN POTJAMAN STANDING VARIOUS OF POTJAMAN GREETING LAWYER POTJAMAN WALKING UP STEPS CAMERAMEN FILMING AS MAN WALKS INTO COURT VARIOUS OF CAMERAMAN STANDING VARIOUS POTJAMAN AND HER CHILDREN WALKING OUT OF BUILDING VARIOUS OF POTJAMAN WALKING PAST MEDIA AND GETTING INTO CAR/ CAR DRIVES AWAY POTJAMAN'S LAWYER, TIRAPAT SRICHAIYA, TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) TIRAPAT SRICHAIYA, POTJAMAN'S LAWYER SAYING: "She wasn't involved in tax evasion because she didn't have duty to pay on tax. Her actions have been honest as the accused number one is responsible for paying the tax." TIRAPAT TALKING WITH JOURNALISTS
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand, Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVACBSKITJX6B2140P2SP0Q1Q9DD
  • Story Text: Thailand's criminal court on Wednesday (August 24) overturned the 2008 conviction of the ex-wife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on charges of tax evasion, a decision that comes two weeks after Thaksin's sister took power as premier.
    The court said there was insufficient evidence against Potjaman Na Pombejra and her secretary, who along with her brother were found guilty in August 2008 of evading 546 million baht (18 million US dollars) in taxes in a case the billionaire former prime minister has said was politically motivated.
    "She wasn't involved in tax evasion because she didn't have duty to pay on tax. Her actions have been honest as the accused number one is responsible for paying the tax," Potjaman's lawyer, Tirapat Srichaiya said speaking after the court session.
    The decision is one of several that suggests a possible change in the attitude of the courts since Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was sworn in two weeks ago. Since then, at least 22 detained Thaksin supporters, who wore red shirts at demonstrations, have been released on bail.
    The case was one of many against Thaksin and his family in the two years after he was ousted in a military coup in 2006. He now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid jail for graft but he remains wildly popular with the rural masses.
    Critics accused him of abusing his position to enhance his family's wealth and of misrule and corruption, particularly over the 2.2 billion US dollar tax-free sale of his family's telecommunications company Shin Corp to a Singaporean company in 2006.
    The couple were divorced in 2008, a few months after Potjaman's conviction.
    Potjaman and her brother had been sentenced to three years in prison, while her secretary was given a two-year term. All had been released on bail.
    The court on Wednesday found Potjaman's brother, Bhanapot Damapong, guilty of tax evasion, but reduced his sentence to two years and a 100,000 baht (3,340 US dollars) fine.
    Potjaman had transferred 4.5 million shares of the now-defunct Shinawatra Computer & Communications PCL worth 738 million baht (25 million US dollars) to her brother.
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