Son of former PM Thaksin indicted for laundering money

BANGKOK, Oct 10 (TNA) -- Public prosecutors indicted Panthongtae Shinawatra, son of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, for laundering money for allegedly accepting a 10-million-baht cheque related to doubtful loans by Krungthai Bank. Trump Jalichandra and Prayut Petkhun, spokesmen of the Office of the Attorney-General, announced the indictment decision on Mr Panthongtae. They also said that in the same case prosecutors indicted Kanchanapa Honghern and her husband Wanchai Honghern for laundering a 26-million-baht cheque. Ms Kanchanapa is the private secretary to Mr Panthongtae's mother Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra. Authorities believed money in both cheques was part of the 9.9-billion-baht loans that state-run Krungthai Bank suspiciously had offered to property developer Krisdamahanakorn. Prosecutors decided not to indict Mr Panthongtae on the same charge in relation to the 26-million-baht cheque and would seek reaction from the Department of Special Investigation which brought the case to the Office of the Attorney-General. The indictment was set at the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. If found guilty, the defendants would be liable to a prison term of 1-10 years and the statute of limitations in the case was 15 years. (TNA)