PM keeps mum on Thaksin's divorce

Meanwhile, Thaksin still has plans to make a phone-in call to a pro-government rally on December 10, according to People Power Party MP Jatuporn Promphan.

A PPP source, who asked not to be named, said the Shinawatra  divorce was to protect their assets while the couple are still facing legal action.

The source said many PPP exec utives had known about the issue for some time. Somchai said, "This is personal matter. I don't know if it would have any effect on legal cases. But please don't ask me about other people's business."

He said he had never talked about  the matter with Thaksin. His wife Yaowapa did not talk about it, either. Jatuporn, who is meeting Thaksin in Hong Kong, said he did not discuss personal matters with Thaksin.

However he knew Thaksin felt hurt about the divorce, but he had passed through many bad inci dents.

Thaksin plans phone-in calls to his supporters twice in coming months. December 10 is one date, but the other has not been scheduled.

National Anti-Corruption Commission member Vicha Mahakun said he would not comment on Thaksin's personal matters. However, if the couple splits, their assets would have to follow the laws; but so far they have not asked the court for an assets separation.

Former Assets Examination Committee member Sak Korsaengruang said the divorce would not have any effect on the cases currently in process. Their marriage was a factor in only the Ratchadaphisek land case, and the Bt76-billion asset seizure due to abuse of power or corruption.

Others were criminal proceedings in which only the individual wrongdoer would receive a penalty.

The court has sentenced Thaksin to a two-year jail term for the Ratchadaphisek land case while the asset seizure was a civil case.

Experts said the divorce would make the couple more independent in their legal activities as they would not need spousal permission.

Democrat law expert Thavorn Senneam said the divorce was more likely to be a personal matter, not political. The divorce would not make the frozen Bt76 billion the possession of only one partner. Both would have to prove to the court that they earned it honestly.

One of the leaders of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy, Pibhop Dhongchai, said the reasons behind the divorce were complicated. With Pojaman using her maiden name, she could more easily get a visa to the UK and come back to defend herself in the tax-evasion case.

Democrat Nakhon Si Thammarat MP Thepthai Senpong said with the divorce,Thaksin might have signalled that he would fight to the ultimate to protect his family