The Department of Special Investigation has called Thaksin Shinawatra's son Panthongtae for questioning over alleged money-laundering in a 9.9-billion-baht Krungthai Bank loan scandal.
DSI deputy director-general Somboon Sarasit said on Thursday that DSI interrogators have called in Mr Panthongthae, Kanchanapha Honghern and Manop Divari for questioning on Friday.
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However, the three requested more time to prepare documents, and the DSI put off the questioning. It will issue a new summons "later". No date was set for the interviews.
Mrs Kanchanapha is secretary to Thaksin's ex-wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra and Mr Manop is the father of former Pheu Thai MP Sita Divari who is also a former chairman of Airports of Thailand (AoT).
They were identified as recipients of cheques for money that Krungthai Bank lent to real estate developer Krisda Mahanakorn. They would be asked about the debts for which the cheques had been issued, Pol Lt Col Somboon said.
None of the three had contacted the DSI to say if they would show up for the questioning, he said.
Last August the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions found 24 people guilty of wrongfully approving more than 9.9 billion baht in loans to affiliates of Krisda Mahanakorn between 2003 and 2004, even though the firm was listed with the state-run bank as a non-performing debtor. The lending happened under the Thaksin government.
Two former bank executives, bank president Viroj Nualkhair and board chairman Suchai Jaovisidha, were found guilty of granting the illegal loans. They were sentenced to 18 years in jail.
The money trail allegedly indicates that the Krisda Mahanakorn owner signed a cashier's cheque worth 26 million to go to Mr Panthongtae, but it was cancelled immediately afterwards.
The money trail also suggests that part of the loan was used to buy shares in AoT.
DSI investigators are suspicious about the cancelled cheque, suspecting money-laundering was involved.