BANGKOK, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Pongthep Thepkanjana, a personal spokesman of
Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, on Wednesday said that
Thaksin had confirmed that he would not appeal the Supreme Court conviction that
sentenced him to two-year jail term over a land purchase case.
Pongthep said Thaksin will explain reasons to his supporters for this
decision later, possibly through the "Truth Today" phone-in scheduled for Dec.
13 or through an official announcement letter, according to a report on Bangkok
Post website on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Attorney-General's Special Litigation Department
director-general Seksan Bangsomboon said Thaksin's decision to not appeal means
the case has been finalized.
The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political
Positions last month sentenced Thaksin to two years in jail for conflict of
interest over a 2003 land auction deal in downtown Bangkok which was won by his
then wife Pojaman.
Thaksin now faces arrest warrants over the charges since he went on
self-exile after the Sept. 19, 2006 military coup that ousted him from
premiership.
The ex-premier insisted he was innocent and the indictions were politically
motivated.
Sirisak Tiyaphan, head of the International Affairs Department Office of
the Attorney-General, was quoted by the Bangkok Post report as saying that
prosecutors will use the Supreme Court verdict as an important component in
coordinating Thaksin's extradition.
Thaksin was now believed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after his visa was
revoked by the United Kingdom after the guilty verdict.
Thailand does not have an extradition treaty with the UAE. Therefore Thai
prosecutors could only coordinate the extradition on principles of Reciprocity,
according to Sirisak.