Deputy permanent secretary Tongthong Chandransu said yesterday that with Thailand going to ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the ministry was examining Thai laws to see whether they contained any loopholes.

Tongthong said it would propose draft legislation on the retrieval of assets in any country, as well as amendment of Article 87 of the Criminal Code to have the statute of limitations scrapped in cases when those accused have fled the country.

It also plans to amend laws related to the bribing of foreign officials in cases of government-to-government contracts. The aim is to introduce similar punishment as for bribes made to Thai officials.

Tongthong said the proposed law was aimed at retrieving assets - be they houses, cars or other valuables - that criminals have bought with dirty money.

If the Thai court ordered the assets to be seized, officials in the country where the illegal assets were held would be required to place them on the market. The proceeds would then be returned to the Thai authorities, he said.

However, the ministry will have to first check with international laws on matters such as money-laundering to discover whether there was any redundancy or contradictory elements in its proposals.

Tongthong said the draft legislation to retrieve assets abroad was expected to reach the Cabinet by the middle of May, and its implementation would be hurried so that it falls within this government's term.