Extraditing Thaksin not easy
Written by Writer on Saturday, October 25th, 2008
Extraditing Thaksin ‘not easy’
Prosecutors have admitted that bringing back Thaksin Shinawatra to face punishment in Thailand could be a long and arduous process. The Supreme Court sentenced Thaksin to two years in jail on Tuesday, convicting him of violating the anti-graft law in the Ratchadaphisek land purchase case.
He is now in Britain seeking asylum.
Sirisak Tiyaphan, director-general of the Office of the Attorney-General’s international affairs department, said the extradition process could take some time, partly because it involves a lot of paperwork, such as the translation of the full text of the court verdict into English.
Besides, the prosecution has not yet received warrants for the arrest of Thaksin from the Royal Police Office.
These documents are required for the extradition request.
Mr Sirisak said extradition is usually a complicated and long process.
How long it will take depends on how Thaksin fights the case.
Besides, it is up to Britain to determine what steps are to be taken for the extradition, which is beyond the scope of the prosecution’s authority, Mr Sirisak said.
Deputy Attorney-General Thaworn Phanichphan, who heads a prosecution team working on the extradition, said the team met yesterday to discuss its preparations. He said all the documents for the extradition needed to be translated into English, which could take time.
When the necessary documents are ready, the extradition request will be filed through the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Constitution Court judge Jarun Pukditanakul said yesterday that Thailand’s judiciary was of international standard and its credibility is unquestionable.
”I don’t think other nations will doubt the justice of the Thai judiciary … If the litigant has any doubts or dissatisfaction, he should get the verdict, read it and find a legal way to fight,” he said.
Opposition and Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday took Thaksin to task for complaints to the international media about his two-year jail sentence by the Supreme Court.
Mr Abhisit said Thaksin distorted facts and avoided mentioning the legal violations and reasons for the jail sentence.
Banharn Silpa-archa, leader of the coalition Chart Thai party, yesterday urged Thaksin to accept the sentence.
Last Tuesday the court sentenced Thaksin for abusing his power as prime minister to facilitate his wife Khunying Potjaman’s purchase of a Bangkok land plot at a discount from the Bank of Thailand’s Financial Institutions Development Fund in 2006
Bangkok Post
Saturday October 25, 2008
