Court sentences Thaksin's wife to three years in jail for tax evasion

BANGKOK, July 31 (TNA) - Thailand's Criminal Court handed down a three-year jail term on the wife of deposed prime minister ThaksinShinawatra for tax evasion.

It was the first verdict of several court cases brought against the former permier, his family and associates by a millitary-appointed graft-busting panel after a bloodless coup in 2006.

Pojaman Shinawatra and her step-brother Bhanapot Damapong were sentenced to three years in prison, while her personal secretary Kanchana Honghern was given a two-year jail term.

They were found guilty of colluding to evade tax worth 546 million baht (US$16.4 million) on the transfer of shares worth 738 million baht (about US$22.2 million) in Shinawatra Computer and Communication.

The trio were later released on bail of 5 million baht (US$149,300).

The 51-year-old former first lady and her husband did not make anycomments to reporters and hundreds of supporters who packed outside the court to give their moral support.

More than 300 police were deployed around the court to prevent any untoward incident. (TNA)