Another arrest warrant was issued for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after he failed to appear on Friday at his trial in the Supreme Court for alleged malfeasance in the Thai Petrochemical Industry (TPI) case.
It was the second arrest warrant issued in three days for the fugitive former prime minister, following his court absence in the Krung Thai loan case on Wednesday.
The court's criminal division for holders of political positions on Friday issued a fresh warrant after Thaksin again did not appear for the case brought by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The court had accepted the case for trial on June 6 and set Friday for him to present his defence statement before the nine judges.
The anti-graft agency accused him of committing malfeasance in office when, as prime minister, he endorsed the Finance Ministry's decision to administrate the rehabilitation plan for TPI, when Suchart Jaovisidha was the finance minister.
The charge against Suchary was dropped because he had since died.
The NACC considers Thaksin, now 69, in violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code because the ministry had no authority to manage a private company.
The court on Friday set Aug 7 for the examination of witness and evidence lists presented by the NACC and the first hearing for Aug 10, with or without the presence of the former prime minister.
Thaksin fled the country in 2008 to avoid a jail sentence for abuse of authority in the purchase of state land by his then wife.