The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday charged former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra with malfeasance in making the Finance Ministry the administrator of the Thai Petrochemical Industry (TPI) rehabilitation plan.
NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon said the commission filed the lawsuit with the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, targeting Thaksin's past role as prime minister.
According to Mr Worawit, in 2003 Thaksin, as prime minister, allowed the Finance Ministry to be the administrator of TPI's rehabilitation plan and also nominated people to the rehabilitation committee.
Thaksin had done so though knowing that the Finance Ministry, as a government agency, had no authority to be the administrator of a rehabilitation plan or manage the assets of any private company.
The NACC had earlier proposed the attorney-general take legal action, but representatives of the attorney-general and the NACC were unable to agree on it.
Therefore, Mr Worawit said, the NACC decided to press the charge itself. The NACC also asked the Supreme Court to proceed with the case in absentia of Thaksin.
TPI, which has since been renamed IRPC Plc, went bankrupt soon after the 1997 economic crisis and entered a court ordered rehabilitation scheme.