Bangkok - Deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will not
return to Thailand this week to face police charges and corruption
cases, citing fears for his security and a lack of democracy in the
country, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Noppadol Pattama, Thaksin's Bangkok-based lawyer and unofficial
spokesman, said the ousted-premier-in-exile will stay away from
Thailand until after a general election is held in November or
December of this year.
Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has given
Thaksin and his wife Potjaman until this Friday to return to Thailand
to hear charges that they deliberately concealed their
share-hoildings in SC Assets, a listed company of the Stock Exchange
of Thailand (SET).
If Thaksin and Potjaman miss the deadline, the DSI has threatened
to issue arrest warrants for the once powerful couple and possibly
seek their extradition.
Thaksin has been residing primarily in London since he was
overthrown by a military coup on September 19, 2006, on charges of
corruption and dividing the nation. Potjaman, who ran his business
empire while Thaksin was premier between 2001 to 2006, is in
Singapore, allegedly receiving medical treatment.
The billionaire former premier is currently finalizing a 81.6
million pound (169 million dollar) purchase of England's Manchester
City football club.
Thai media has speculated that the purchase of the financially
struggling team was timed to enhance Thaksin's chances of avoiding
extradition from England, should Thai authorities push for it.
Noppodol said Thaksin was not planning to return soon because
Thailand was still under the rule of the military junta that ousted
him and he feared for his safety.
He added that he did not trust Thailand's judicial system in the
current circumstances.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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