Thai court convicts Thaksin's wife of tax evasion

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

BANGKOK (AFP) — The wife of deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra was sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion Thursday, the first conviction against his family since he was toppled in a 2006 coup.

Pojaman Shinawatra and her brother were given three years in prison, while her secretary received a two-year sentence.

"The actions by the three defendants are serious violations of the law. The court has decided that the three defendants were guilty of tax fraud," Judge Pramote Pipatpramote said.

All three were released on bail of five million baht each (150,000 dollars) pending appeal, court officials said.

The family's spokesman immediately announced an appeal against the verdict.

"We will appeal within 30 days... We will wait for...