Flera höga före detta statstjänstemän inklusive en vice finansminister har dömts till fängelse för att ha hjälp Shinawatra-familjemedlemmar att undvika att betala stora mängder skatt
Brotten begicks när de köpte stora delar av Thaksin Shinawatras företag Shin Corp från honom för 1 baht istället för det riktiga värdet 49.25 baht per aktie och 164.6 miljoner aktier
De dömda hjälpte bl.a Thaksins son och dotter med den här affären
Ex-deputy finance minister and three revenue officials given 3-year jailterm for helping Shinawatra siblings evade taxes
The fifth defendant, Ms Pranee Vechapruekpitak, a close aide of Khunying Potjamarn na Prompetch (formerly Shinawatra), was also found guilty for abetting the three revenue officials and Mrs Benja in their commission of the malfeasance offence. She was handed down a two-year jailterm.
The three other defendants were identified as Ms Chamras Yaemsoithong, former deputy director-general of Revenue Department; Ms Moreerat Bunyasiri, former director of Legal Affairs of the Revenue Department; and Mr Krit Veepulanusurn, director of Legal Affairs of the Revenue Department.
The was instituted to the court’s corruption division by the National Anti-Corruption Commission which faulted the five defendants for helping Panthongtae and Ms Pinthongthan, son and daughter of former prime minister Thaksin evade about 7,941 million baht in capital gain taxes each for their purchase of 164.6 milllion shares of Shin Corp each at par of one baht each while the market price then was 49.25 baht per share.
The NACC ruled that the two Shinawatra siblings were obliged to pay income taxes on the differential of the purchasing and selling prices of the shares in question.
In handing down the conviction verdict of the five defendants, the court said there was no basis to suspend the imprisonment term.
Their lawyers however tried to bail them out and were waiting for a decision from the court.
