SUNAI MANOMAI-UDOM, director-general of the Department of Special Investigation, displays documents during a press conference to announce asset concealment charges against ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman.

Pojaman was due to appear before the AEC yesterday but said she was ill and in hospital abroad.

It was the third time Pojaman failed to make the appointment.

After submitting the request, lawyer Somporn Pongsuwan told reporters Pojaman was being treated in Singapore for an irregular heartbeat. She asked to be allowed to testify on July 19.

Somporn presented a medical certificate signed by Dr Ng Wai Lin of the Raffles Hospital in Singapore on June 15 to the AEC.

AEC spokesman Sak Korsaengrueng said the medical certificate was not official, so the AEC asked the lawyer to present an official one, together with details of Pojaman's alleged illness, within seven days. Once the agency received an official certificate, it would decide whether Pojaman would be allowed to put off testimony for one month.

Sak said on June 6 that Pojaman could face up to six months in jail if she failed to turn up to testify yesterday.

About 20 supporters turned up to offer moral support for Pojaman.

On Monday public prosecutors decided to indict Thaksin and Pojaman over her purchase of a block of land on Ratchadapisek in Bangkok.

An AEC panel distributed an 88-page yellow book yesterday, with testimonies by witnesses, opinions of investigative panel members and evidence incriminating Thaksin and his wife.

Attorney General Pachara Yutithamdamrong said on Monday he had issued a prosecution order, accusing the two of abuse of power.

The prosecution writ will be filed tomorrow in the Supreme Court's Criminal Tribunal for Political Office Holders.

Budsarakham  Sinlapalavan 

The Nation