Thaksin hit by new arrest warrant

A second set of arrest warrants has been issued in Thailand for the former PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife.

The warrants were issued in relation to a police inquiry into the couple's alleged violations of stock-trading laws, investigators said.

Last month, a court issued warrants for the couple over corruption allegations relating to a land sale.

Mr Thaksin has lived abroad since he was deposed a year ago. He has since bought Manchester City football club.

Fears for his life

"The court approved an arrest warrant," Pornchai Asavawattanaporn of the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) said.

The DSI is investigating allegations that Mr Thaksin and his wife Pojaman had concealed their assets in a firm, SC Assets Co Ltd.

The department said it had sought the warrant as the couple had repeatedly failed to appear in Bangkok to hear the charges.

The couple were served with their first arrest warrant last month by the Supreme Court after failing to appear to hear the first in a series of corruption cases being brought against them.

In that case, Mr Thaksin is accused of abusing his power while in office, by helping his wife buy land from a state agency at a favourable price.

Mr Thaksin and his family have denied all allegations of corruption against them, and say the charges are politically motivated.

His lawyer Noppadol Pattama told the BBC recently that Mr Thaksin feared his life would be in danger if he returned to Thailand.

"He would consider going back after the next Thailand election and with the return of full democracy," Mr Pattama said.