Summary
11 August 2010
The Supreme Court in Thailand has rejected an appeal by the former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. The case was in relation to the seizure of almost one and a half billion dollars of his assets.
Reporter:
Rachel Harvey
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
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Report
It took the Supreme Court about two hours to throw out Thaksin Shinawatra's appeal, having decided that the evidence presented by the defence didn't amount to anything new.
Six months ago, the same court ruled that the former prime minister had concealed his stake in the family telecoms business which was sold, for a substantial profit, to the investment arm of the Singapore government. That decision will now stand, ending any hope that the Thaksin family might get their money back.
"We have reached the end of the road" one of Mr Thaksin's lawyers conceded. "Our team will now concentrate on other cases" he said. There are several to choose from. Mr Thaksin is facing charges of terrorism in connection with recent anti-government protests and allegations that he failed to declare all his assets while in office. That's in addition to the two year jail sentence already imposed on him for corruption.
Rachel Harvey, 大象传媒 News, Bangkok
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Vocabulary
- throw out
dismiss or turn down
- evidence
reasons to show that something is true or not true
- concealed
hidden or kept from being seen
- investment arm
department trying to make profit by buying and selling assets
- substantial profit
large amount of money left after a business pays its bills
- decision will now stand
decision will be enforced
- we have reached the end of the road
we have tried everything and have no other options
- concentrate
focus on or turn attention to something
- in connection with
linked with
- corruption
using a position of trust for illegal actions
