POLITICS
Answers still needed on attempted bribery
Police have been asked to continue their investigation into whether former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had anything to do with the two-million-baht snack box that his three lawyers passed on to a Supreme Court official, bringing the three a six-month jail term. A senior police officer commented yesterday that answers were still needed on whether the lawyers were using the money to influence Mr Thaksin's legal case.
Amnuay Nimmano, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said his subordinates would need about a month to find out if Mr Thaksin was connected to the cash-laden snack pack given to a court official on June 10.
Police are waiting for documents from the Supreme Court. Only then can they begin questioning Pichit Chuenban, Supasri Srisawat and Thana Tansiri, Mr Thaksin's three lawyers who have been handed a six-month jail term for contempt of court.
Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay expects to receive the documents on Monday.
He said police would have to trace back the money to its original source and find out if the payment was meant to foil a lawsuit against Mr Thaksin as many believe.
The Supreme Court's verdict on the three lawyers goes to show that the sum was offered in exchange for convenient services at the court as they had to contact the place often. Bribery needed to be proven with persuasive intentions, according to Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay.
''It must be investigated further as we still need to know who was the real owner of the money. The question that now arises is whether they were offering a bribe to foil a case. It will depend on how their intention is interpreted,'' he said.
Last Wednesday the Supreme Court sentenced the three lawyers to six months' imprisonment each for contempt of court within the precincts of the court.
The three were at the court to report that Mr Thaksin and his wife Khunying Potjaman had already returned from a business trip abroad.
The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions is trying the couple over the 772-million-baht Ratchadaphisek land deal dating back five years.
Mr Thaksin was accused of abusing his authority during his days as prime minister to facilitate his wife's purchase of the 33-rai plot from the Bank of Thailand's Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF).
The couple is banned from leaving the country unless the court allows them to do so.
Due to the jail sentences, the Lawyer Council of Thailand is likely to erase the three from its list of lawyers for five years as punishment.
However, Sithichoke Sricharoen, head of the council's etiquette committee, said yesterday that although the three had the right to reapply for their licences with the council afterwards, it was unlikely their licences would be returned.
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