BANGKOK - Thailand prosecutors said they will not hesitate to arrest former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as soon as he arrives in Thailand, for his alleged involvement in a land corruption scandal, local media reported on Thursday.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra attends a news conference in Hong Kong December 25, 2007. [Agencies]
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Sampan Sarathana, prosecutor of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), on Thursday denied speculation that the pro-Thaksin People Power Party's imminent rise to power will affect the case against ousted premier Thaksin, who is believed to be the main driving force behind the People Power Party's founding.
"As soon as he sets foot in Thailand, which he claims will be sometime between February and April of next year, he will face police arrest. An arrest warrant has already been issued for him along time ago," Sampan was quoted by the Bangkok Post's web news assaying.
Sampan added that the Thai government is still in the process of striking up an extradition deal with the British government to have Thaksin sent back to Thailand to face corruption charges.
Thaksin is currently in self-imposed exile in London. He has refused to return to Thailand until he is certain that he will get a fair trial.
It is not known whether a deal between the two governments will be reached before Thaksin returns to Thailand on his own accord, the report said.
Thaksin, the former premier who was ousted from the Government House during a military coup last September, is facing criminal charges on a land deal and other dozens of cases. Recently, during a press conference held in Hong Kong, he said he will return to Thailand between February to April next year.
The People Power Party rapidly expanded its potential strength after many former TRT Party members' attended the party in June and July for the disbandment of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party. Led by former Bangkok Governor Samak Sundaravej, who has said he is a proxy of Thaksin's TRT party, PPP is favored to win most seats in the North and Northeast, strongholds of Thaksin.
With many former TRT members' attending, the People Power Partyhas won the general election on December 23 and vowed to clear the way for Thaksin's back.
