Democrat files nonfeasance charges against finance minister
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A Democrat Party MP has filed a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission against the finance minister, his deputy and the revenue director-general for failing to collect Bt12 billion worth of taxes from Thaksin Shinawatra and his ex-wife.
Sansern Samalapha, the so-called shadow finance minister of the Democrat Party, said Wednesday that he had filed the complaint against Finance Minister Kittirat Na-Ranong, Deputy Finance Minister Thanusak Lek-uthai and Revenue Department Director-General Sathit Rangkhasiri on Tuesday.
Sansern alleged that the three failed to have revenue officials collect Bt12 billion in taxes from former prime minister Thaksin and Khunying Pojaman Damapong’s sale of shares of Shin Corp to their son and daughter, Pantongtae and Pintongta Shinawatra five years ago.
Sansern said the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office ruled that Ample Rich held the shares for Thaksin and sold the shares to Pantongtae and Pintongta. Sansern said the share sale was done outside the stock market so Thaksin was liable to pay income tax.
Sansern said after the Pheu Thai became the coalition leader the Revenue Department cancelled its plan to collect the Bt12 billion from Thaksin.
Sansern said the department has made the latest decision not to collect the taxes on the grounds that the sale was done in the stock market, when in fact although the sale of stock happened outside, when Ample Rich sold the shares to Thaksin’s children.
Sansern said he hoped that there would be another channel to collect the Bt12 billion taxes from Thaksin and Pojaman because the two might not have filed their tax forms in 2007 thus the department would have five more years to demand them to pay the relevant taxes.
