Thai rulers to tackle corruption

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Thailand's new military government says it has set up a commission to investigate claims of corruption under ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

The nine newly-appointed investigators will begin their work on Monday.

Government corruption was one of the reasons given by the military for its coup d'etat on Tuesday.

Earlier this year, suspected financial wrongdoing over the sale of Mr Thaksin's telecom empire sparked mass protests against the government.

His company in Singapore, Shin Corp, was sold for almost $2bn (£1.05bn).

"Any cases that cause serious damage to the country, we will have to investigate urgently," said Parnthep Klanarongran, the new chief of the National Counter-Corruption Commission.

POSSIBLE CANDIDATES FOR PM Supachai Panitchpakdi, former World Trade Organisation chiefChatumongol Sonakul, former central bank chief, sacked by Mr ThaksinPridiyathorn Devakula, central bank chiefAckaratorn Chularat, president of Supreme Administrative Court <a href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5367394.stm" class="">'Deserved rest' for Thaksin</a> <a href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5366578.stm" class="">Regional press worried</a>

"If anyone commits wrongdoing, they will have to be prosecuted in the courts," he said on Saturday in an interview with Thai television.

"One reason they gave to justify the coup was corruption," political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University told the AFP news agency.

"Now they have to prove it. They also want to make sure Thaksin doesn't come back."

Meanwhile, the leaders of Thailand's military coup have been discussing the appointment of a new civilian prime minister.

They have promised to find a replacement within two weeks.

They are expected to provide a shortlist including leading economists and judges to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who will name a new leader on Wednesday.

The military has also said it will hold fresh elections by October next year.