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Probe into 10,000 graft claims

A counter-corruption commission revived by Thailand's new military rulers has begun working on the more than 10,000 allegations of graft under the regime of the ousted Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra.

The commission, which Mr. Thaksin abolished several years ago, announced that former government members would have 30 days to declare their assets, and warned against expecting rapid results.

``[We're facing] tonnes of documents and 10,000 unresolved cases,'' a spokesman said. A new and more powerful investigative panel charged with probing members of Mr. Thaksin's family and inner circle will be allowed to freeze and confiscate assets in cases of suspected wrongdoing.

The junta, which seized power in a bloodless coup last Tuesday has made fighting corruption its top priority along with rewriting the constitution to prevent the kinds of abuses of which Mr. Thaksin is accused of. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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