Abhisit to be grilled over tobacco firm role

THE Pheu Thai Party plans to grill Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for allegedly meddling in an effort to help an international tobacco company evade Bt68 billion (S$2.8 billion) in import tariffs between 2003 and 2007.

'One of the censure and impeachment charges against Mr Abhisit is his inteference in the legal proceedings in a tax evasion case involving Philip Morris (Thailand) Limited,' party deputy spokesman Yuthapong Jarassathian said on Sunday.

Mr Yuthapong alleged that Mr Abhisit intervened in the prosecution review, resulting in the dropping of charges against the company.

Despite his image as 'Mr Clean', Mr Abhisit allegedly instructed his close aide, known by the initial K, to exert influence on the company's behalf, prompting speculation about kickbacks being paid to a foreign bank account, Mr Yuthapong claimed.

He also voiced suspicion that certain companies became big donors to the Democrat Party. These companies would pay Bt2 million in a fund raising dinner for the Democrats, scheduled for Monday, he said.

The Philip Morris case came to light after the Excise Department asked the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to probe what it claimed was the company's illegal trade practice of undervaluing its cigarettes in order to avoid paying high import tariffs