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Thaksin's wife awaits ruling on tax evasion case

Pojaman, known for her taste in designer clothes and coifed hair,wore a blue blouse and pearl necklace for the court appearance. Sheand Thaksin did not comment to reporters..More than 300 police were deployed in the area amid concerns ofpossible protests by both Thaksin'ssupporters and opponents..Thaksin was ousted after being accused of massive corruption andabuse of power during his two terms as prime minister. Fourcorruption cases have been filed in the courts against Thaksin, twoothers against his wife, and three cases against two of hischildren. Many others are under investigation..Thursday's case centers on a 1997 transfer of shares in ShinawatraComputer, the company that later became Shin Corp. —Thailand's biggest telecommunications company — before it wassold in 2006 to a Singapore state-owned company for US$2.2 billion..The share transfer was valued at 738 million baht — aboutUS$22.2 million at the current exchange rate — and deemedtax-free. The family had listed the deal as a transfer of sharescarried out within the stock market, which is exempt from capitalgains taxes..After Thaksin's ouster, an investigation was launched into the dealthat prompted the family to change its story..Pojaman, through her lawyer, said she bought the shares from afamily maid and transferred them to her adopted brother, BhanapotDamapong, as a gift, which under Thai law is not taxable..Thailand's Assests Examination Committee determined last year,however, that a check issued to the maid was later deposited in anew bank account belonging to Thaksin's wife..The committee said Pojaman and her brother had misrepresented thenature of the transaction to avoid paying taxes and should pay backtaxes of about 546 million baht (US$16.4 million). Thaksin was notimplicated in the tax evasion case..Thaksin was known to have transferred shares in Shin Corp., histelecommunications empire, to his maid, chauffeur, relatives andothers to shed holdings before becoming prime minister in 2001 toskirt conflict of interest laws..Thaksin was deposed after months of street demonstrations inBangkok demanding he step down because of the allegations. Hereturned to Thailand earlier this year after his political alliesin the People's Power Party set up a coalition government.