Bangkok: The divorce between Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his now former wife Pojaman that took place last week would have no affect on the state seizure of assets worth Bt 76 billion (USD 2.2 billion) from the ousted premier, according to a prosecutor.

A member of the prosecution team, Nanthasak Poolsuk, responsible for seizing Thaksin s assets in connection with graft charges, said the divorce would have no effect on the seizure ruling as Thaksin was named as the only defendant by the now-expired Assets Examination Committee (AEC).

The AEC ruled that Thaksin had become unusually rich after selling his Shin Corp to Singapore's Temasek Holdings in January 2006 for Bt 73.3 billion (USD 2.09 billion) without paying taxes.

The duo had informed the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) that their assets were transferred to their children, close relatives and friends before Thaksin became a politician, Nanthasak said. It was not possible for Ms Pojaman to request the supreme court to separate her assets from Thaksin after the divorce, he said.

Banks which had seized the couple s assets would not do anything until the assets seizure case reached a final verdict. Press reports in Bangkok said Thaksin, who was ousted in a September 2006 coup, had divorced his wife at the Thai consulate in Hong Kong last Friday.

Sources close to Thaksin's family have, however, described the separation of the couple as a "divorce on paper only", suggesting the action was taken for practical and legal reasons.

Source : PTI