5 cases against Thaksin shold be consolidated: Thai Law Society

The President of the Law Society of Thailand Tuesday suggested concerned authorities to consolidate all five cases against fugitive ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to improve a chance of having him extradited to Thailand, the Nation online reported.

Sak Korsaengruang, president of the Law Society of Thailand, said that Thaksin has been charged in five cases -- the special lottery project, Export-Import Bank's (EXIM Bank) controversial loans to Myanmar, Ratchadaphisek land scandal, telecoms excise tax conversion and terrorism.

The concerned authorities had treated the cases separately in their earlier efforts to seek Thaksin's extradition from overseas, which made it difficult for them to succeed, Sak said.

Hence, he has suggested that all the cases should be consolidated in the authorities' request for Thaksin's extradition.

"The work may take a longer period of time but it will be worthwhile," he added.

On May 25, Thailand's Criminal Court approved an arrest warrant against Thaksin on the terrorism charges.

Thaksin was ousted by the military coup in September, 2006, in accusation of massive corruption, and kept in exile since then. Thaksin returned to Thailand in February, 2008 to face corruption charges, but he later fled into exile again and was convicted in absentia.

Source: Xinhua