The wife of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday that her husband will return home from self-imposed exile in May to face corruption charges.
Pojamarn Shinawatra made the statement while appearing before the Supreme Court on charges that she used her husband's political influence to buy prime Bangkok real estate from a government agency at a third of its estimated value.
During the brief first hearing, Pojamarn pleaded not guilty and asked the court for 90 days in which to prepare documents and witnesses to buttress her defense. The court agreed to set the date of the next hearing on April 29.
Pojamarn returned to Thailand earlier this month, a trip Thaksin said was to prove their innocence.
Thaksin was toppled in a bloodless military coup in 2006, with opponents accusing him of massive corruption and abuse of power.
A court statement also said that Thaksin would return in May to fight the same charges as his wife.
Thaksin, who resides mostly in London, has given several different dates for his return home. Most recently he said he was "considering" a comeback in April.
Pojamarn, Thailand's first lady from 2001 to 2006, was served two arrest warrants and released on a bail of 6 million baht (US$202,000) after flying into Bangkok on Jan. 8.
If convicted in both cases, Pojamarn and Thaksin could face a total of up to 28 years behind bars.
It will be a landmark trial after months of investigations into Thaksin and his family's alleged corruption. The second arrest warrant alleges that the Shinawatras concealed millions of dollars in stock market shares.
Pojamarn's sudden return has added tension to Thailand's unsettled political situation, in which Thaksin's followers have formed a coalition government following their victory in general elections last month.
Pro-Thaksin stalwart Samak Sundaravej is expected to be named prime minister tomorrow despite opposition from the military and anti-Thaksin activists who organized mass demonstrations prior to the coup.
Pojamarn is formally charged with conflict of interest and malfeasance in the 2003 purchase of a 5-hectare plot of land in central Bangkok from the Financial Institutions Development Fund, a government agency set up to bail out debt-ridden banks.
She paid 772 million baht (US$26 million at current exchange rates) for the land, which was worth triple the amount.
An anti-corruption law bars prime ministers or their spouses from doing business with government agencies.
Pojamarn also faces charges in connection with a case alleging that she and Thaksin concealed millions of dollars in shares of SC Asset, the family's real estate holding company.
Thaksin and his wife were charged with violating disclosure rules, both by failing to report ownership and failing to report the sale of shares to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
Thaksin has denied any wrongdoing while prime minister. He has vowed to stay out of politics but said he is ready to serve as an adviser to his allies in the People's Power Party, which Samak heads.
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