The defence team of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra has acknowledged his graft indictments over the purchase and installation of CTX 9000 bomb-detection system at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

It plans to present a rebuttal by March 29.

The indictments centre on two contracts - one over the design and installation of the baggage conveyor belt at the airport and another over the purchase of the CTX system from the supplier - GE Invision - Thaksin's lawyer Somporn Pongsuwan said yesterday.

"The defence team will inform Thaksin the charges and he will then decide whether to rebut them in person or with a written statement," Somporn said.

He spoke after emerging from a closed-door session to learn about the alleged irregularities spelled out by the Assets Examination Committee (AEC).

The AEC named Thaksin, former transport minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit and the executive board members of Airports of Thailand (AOT) as suspects involved in the CTX deal.

Accused AOT board members include Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, senior public prosecutor Chaikasem Nitisiri and former board chairman Srisook Chandrangsu.

All of the accused, except Somchai, assigned their defence lawyers to acknowledge the charges on their behalf.

Somchai, a former permanent secretary for Justice, decided to represent himself at the indictment session.

Following the session, he said the AOT board had approved the CTX deal in good faith.

"I am not sure whether the indictments against me and other board members are a political game because we did everything in accordance with the laws and established procedures," he said.

He said he intended to prepare and present his rebuttal by himself. He is scheduled to present his defence on March 28.

Meanwhile, Noppadon Pattama, the Shinawatra family's legal adviser, yesterday accused the AEC of unfair practices against Thaksin, his family, and members of his Cabinet.

In regard to another graft investigation, Wanchai Honghern, husband of Kanchanapa, the private secretary of Thaksin's wife Pojaman, gave his statement to an AEC hearing on the controversial loan granted by state-controlled Krung Thai Bank.

Wanchai testified for the defence.

The loan in question was granted under alleged pressure from business figures linked to the Shinawatra family.

In another defence testimony to the AEC, Surin Upapatkun, the major shareholder of Kularb Kaew Co, outlined his involvement in the company. Many suspect his company acted as a nominee set up by Singapore's Temasek Holdings to execute the Shin Corp deal in 2006.

Surin returned after seven hours of questioning with AEC members, but he declined to comment.

Sak Korsaengruang, the AEC spokesman, said that the questioning was unrelated to the Department of Special Investigation's ongoing probe on Kularb Kaew. He added that Surin had "provided useful information".