Thailand could seek Thaksin extradition for crimes

SINGAPORE, June 24 (Reuters) Thailand could seek the extradition of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra if he were to be found guilty of criminal offenses, the Thai finance minister said today.

''If Thaksin were to be found guilty under criminal law, we have some agreements with other countries on extraditing,'' Chalongphob Sussangkarn told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

Thai state prosecutors earlier this week formally charged Thaksin with ''official misconduct'' relating to his wife's purchase of a prime piece of Bangkok real estate.

The filing at the Supreme Court was the first formal legal action taken against Thaksin since he was ousted in a September coup by generals accusing him running a corrupt government.

Asked whether any of various charges faced by Thaksin could carry criminal charges, Chalongphob said there were two cases, including the 2003 purchase of the Bangkok property site by Thaksin's wife.

He said it was not clear where Thaksin -- who has been based mostly in London since the bloodless coup in September -- got the funds for his 82 million pound (163 million dollars) bid for British Premier League club Manchester City.

''We don't know where he got the money. When he became prime minister, his asset declaration stated that there were no foreign assets,'' he said.

A spokesman for Thaksin said on Friday that he would use his family's money to buy the club and that the money was legitimate.

Thaksin, a telecoms billionaire turned politician, sold his stake in telecoms firm Shin Corp to Singapore state holding company Temasek for 3.8 billion dollars last year.

The deal sparked massive street protests that eventually led to Thaksin's downfall.

Asked whether Thaksin had any funds in Singapore, Thailand's ambassador to Singapore, Chalermpol Thanchitt, said ''we have been told that he has some property here, but I have not been instructed to follow up on that.'' REUTERS SBC KP1752