PM orders probe of unusual overseas money transfers

UPDATE : 11 February 2010
BANGKOK, Feb10 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday said he has ordered a probe after information obtained indicating irregular money transfers from overseas amid intelligence reports the political campaign against his government is likely to intensify this month.

Mr Abhisit refused to elaborate about the money trail or its recipients, pending investigation.

The government has no reason to slander anyone, he said.

The premier also affirmed that the government can maintain order and will consider a special security law if needed.

The prime minister commented after acting government spokesperson Panitan Wattanayakorn said the information was based on the claim of Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn and tips from members of the public who reported to the government about the unusual transfer of funds from abroad to key anti-government activists.

Meanwhile, Jatuporn Prompan, key leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), rejected Dr Panitan's remarks and demanded the spokesman to disclose the evidence to back his claim.

The Red Shirt leader said that the government can verify the fund transfer route via the Bank of Thailand and if the money was smuggled via Suvarnabhumi Airport, CTX bomb scanners can detect it.

Mr Jatuporn also urged Dr Panitan to resign from the government spokesman post if he can not show any evidence of such fund transfers.

Convicted ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra challenged the government to prove its claim in his message sent to the social networking website Twitter.

"The government said that a huge sum of money both domestic and international have been transferred to bank accounts of the Red Shirt leaders. Why doesn't the government show the evidence?" he asked.

Dr Panitan, however, said the government’s information is credible and that irregular money tranfers occurred between the end of last year until recently and that partly might be attributed to the global economic recovery which has attracted more investors.

However, he said security agencies are now cooperating with the financial institutions to verify the money trail and the recipients, adding that fund transfers from Asia and the Middle East have been increasing considerably.

The spokesman said that he has yet single out any group or any person in particular as recipient(s) of the money and the government has not put the blame on anyone.

Mr Panitan added that he has forwarded the information on the unusual inflow of overseas fund to Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban who oversees national security.

The deputy premier Suthep asserted that security-concerned agencies are duty-bound to monitor any person who is likely to cause chaos or violence and bring them to legal prosecution. (TNA)
from: mcot.net/