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M. Continuo

Ex-PM Thaksin faces new Thailand graft charges


    BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai graftbusters filed new corruption charges against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday, accusing him and other top officials of illegal use of funds from a state lottery. The Asset Scrutiny Committee, appointed by the generals who ousted Thaksin in a bloodless 2006 coup, also charged Thaksin, 46 cabinet ministers and other top officials for wrongly approving and operating the lottery from 2003 to 2006.

    The charges were filed at the Supreme Court which can takeup to 45 days to decide whether it will hear the case, ASClawyer Sitichoke Sicharoen told reporters.

    If the court accepted the case, Finance Minister SurapongSuebwonglee and two junior ministers, three of the 47 named inthe graft charge, would be required by law to step aside whilethe trial is conducted, an ASC spokesman said.

    The ASC asked the court to order Thaksin and some otherministers to pay 15 billion baht (250 million pounds) incompensation to the state, Sitichoke said.

    After his ouster, Thaksin was accused by the coupmakers ofpresiding over rampant corruption during his five years inpower, but he and his family have faced few formal charges.

    Thaksin, who returned to Thailand last month and insistshis political career is over, will appear in court on Wednesdayto face corruption charges related to his wife's purchase of aprime piece of land in Bangkok from the Bank of Thailand.

    The ASC has also frozen nearly $2 billion of Thaksin'sassets in Thailand, citing allegations of graft and abuse ofpower.

    Although a democratically-elected civilian government hastaken power after a December general election, the ASC isobligated under Thai law to work until June.

    (Reporting by Chalathip Thirasoonthrakul; Writing byNopporn Wong-Anan; Editing by Darren Schuettler and David Fox)