Thai tax authorities have sent ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra a whopping 17 billion baht ($494 million) tax bill over the sale of shares in a telecoms company more than a decade ago, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
The claim is over the sale of shares in Shin Corp. to Singapore's Temasek Holdings [TEM.UL].
Thaksin's legal team would appeal to the revenue department within 30 days, his lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, told reporters.
"We need to exercise our right to appeal to show that no legal miracle can happen to collect tax from Dr Thaksin," he said.
Allies of Thaksin say the new tax claim is politically motivated. He has lived in exile since being overthrown in 2006 to avoid corruption charges, but his populist movement remains at the heart of political division in Thailand.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters the tax claim was not aimed at bullying the Shinawatras.
A court ruled against an attempt by tax authorities to claim 12 billion baht ($350 million) from the share sale from Thaksin's children in 2010, Noppadon said. The court said they could not be taxed because the shares were owned by Thaksin and his wife, he said.
Noppadon said that the sale of the shares was tax exempt because it was done through the stock exchange.
The army overthrew the government led by Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, in 2014 in the name of ending political turmoil.
Last month, the junta started reconciliation hearings with political parties ahead of elections that could happen as early as next year, but those talks do not touch on Thaksin's fate.
Reuters
Tue Mar 28 2017
Thaksin's legal team would appeal to the revenue department within 30 days, his lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, told reporters.
Kru Shenzhou-18 berjaya masuk stesen angkasa Tiangong
Kru Shenzhou-18 China berjaya memasuki stesen angkasa Tiangong selepas kapal angkasa yang dinaiki mereka bercantum dengan kombinasi stesen angkasa secara automatik pada 5.04 pagi Jumaat.
Kemas kini Windows 11 papar iklan pada menu Start, bagaimana untuk matikannya?
Microsoft memberi ruang untuk pengguna Windows 11 menyembunyikan paparan iklan berkenaan.
AWANI Ringkas: Ketelusan boleh elak pembaziran
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Pemilik stesen minyak diminta lapor KPDN jika diancam sindiket
Beliau berkata KPDN akan merahsiakan maklumat diterima kerana sedar ada pemilik stesen minyak yang enggan membuat laporan walaupun diancam.
Indeks harga pengeluar Malaysia naik 1.6 peratus
Indeks Harga Pengeluar Malaysia yang mengukur perubahan harga barangan di peringkat pengeluar, meningkat 1.6 peratus pada Mac 2024.
Kadar penerimagunaan 5G hampir 36 peratus, liputan 80.3 peratus - Fahmi
Kadar penerimagunaan 5G di negara ini telah mencecah hampir 36 peratus setakat pertengahan bulan ini, manakala kadar liputan perkhidmatan itu telah mencapai 80.3 peratus pada Februari lepas.
Kontroversi UM: Mahasiswa tuntut penjelasan atau boikot kuliah
Sekumpulan mahasiswa Universiti Malaya yang berang dengan tindakan Institut Pengajian China, Universiti Malaya (UM) menjemput individu pro-Zionis, akhirnya turun berdemonstrasi bagi menyuarakan bantahan dan akan memboikot kuliah pengajian jika tiada reaksi dari pihak pentadbiran UM.
Lima anggota polis disyaki samun berdepan tindakan dalaman
Lima anggota polis antara tujuh individu yang ditahan kerana disyaki terbabit dalam kes samun warga asing membabitkan wang tunai berjumlah RM260,000, berdepan tindakan dalaman antaranya pertukaran jabatan.
JKDM beli 20 anjing pengesan dadah libat kos RM1.9 juta
JKDM dalam proses perolehan 20 ekor anjing pengesan dadah serta tiga unit mesin pengimbas 'backscatter' dalam usaha perangi dadah.
Sultan Selangor berangkat ke majlis bacaan yasin, tahlil di Pangkalan TLDM
Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yang juga Kepten Yang Dipertua Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) berkenan berangkat ke Pangkalan TLDM Lumut.
Women for zero corruption
If Latheefa Koya's appointment as the new MACC chief goes unchallenged, Malaysia will see the first woman leading the war against corruption.
[OPINION] Opportunity from chaos
The biggest clandestine threat is the evaporation of the middle class across the developed world.
PM, Kabinet, Ketua Institusi perlu isytihar harta - Akhbar Satar
Datuk Akhbar Satar turut mencadangkan supaya proses tersebut turut dilakukan pasangan masing-masing dan ahli keluarga terdekat.
China to alter law as it steps up fight against graft fugitives
China plans to change its law to allow judgments to be delivered in corruption cases even when the suspects do not appear in court.
Presiden FIFA: Pemilihan semula Sepp Blatter disambut sinis
Ikrar Blatter bebaskan FIFA dari kemelut rasuah antara yang jadi sindiran.