Thailand's Constitutional Court is to consider a petition that accuses Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister, of violating the country's conflict-of-interest law, which regulates Cabinet ministers' relationships with private companies.

The petition, which was filed by 28 senators, claims Mr Thaksin still had de facto control over Shin Corp - the telecoms to satellite conglomerate he founded - after transferring ownership of the company to his children and close relatives, before he became premier in 2001.