Picture courtesy: Wikipedia

 

Pita Limjaroenrat, the former leader of Move Forward, has asserted that the return of ex-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is unlikely to follow the same pathway as her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

Thaksin's comeback to Thailand under contentious circumstances has stirred political discussions, but Pita believes Yingluck's situation requires a different approach.

 

Currently serving as an adviser to the Progressive Movement's chairman Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Pita stated that Yingluck's legal issues set her case apart.

 

Found guilty of negligence in handling the rice subsidy scheme, Yingluck was sentenced to five years in prison. Pita emphasised the importance of tackling her case transparently and impartially to restore public trust in Thailand's political system.

 

Yingluck's conviction stemmed from her involvement in a failed rice subsidy programme, leading to significant financial losses for the country.

Although she is 57, she still faces the very real possibility of serving her sentence unlike Thaksin, who at 75, reportedly avoided time behind bars, instead securing a privileged hospital stay last year.

 

Addressing speculations around the implications of recent parole releases for figures linked to the rice subsidy scandal, including former Pheu Thai commerce minister Boonsong Teriyabhirom, Pita dismissed the notion that these events would influence Yingluck's potential return.

 

Boonsong, alongside his deputy Poom Sarapol and businessman Apichart Jansakulporn, known as Sia Peng, were recently granted parole after serving part of their sentences.

 

Pita urged Yingluck to engage with the justice system to clarify her role in the scandal, underscoring that this approach is key to ensuring justice is served. By facing the legal process, he believes Yingluck could potentially clear her name and assert her case.

 

As the discourse around Yingluck's possible return continues, Pita's comments highlight the delicate balance between political dynamics and legal proceedings in Thailand, reported Thai Newsroom.

 

 

-- 2024-12-09

 

 

What happened is pretty clear. Thaksin dreamed up a hair brained scheme whereby he took a gamble that India would have another drought and would not be able to supply the export market with rice.  So Thaksin would be able to corner the market and push the rice price up, making money for himself and cronies and maybe allowing the Thai government to make some too. Farmers would benefit up front from a high fixed price from the government.  

 

India had no drought, recorded a bumper harvest with record exports and Thaksin lost his bet and but still made big money from crooked deals where rice was exported to fake Chinese state entities at loss making big discounts and sold back to the Thai government at the rice pledging price.  Farmers lost out because Yingluck dissolved the government on Thaksin's orders without giving enough time to the finance minister, former stock jockey Kittirat, to enact legislation allowing the government to borrow enough money to finish paying farmers for rice already pledged.  This led to a number of suicides amongst farmers.

 

Yingluck's role in all this. She authorized the whole scam as president of the Rice Commission.  Even though she only attended two meetings of the Rice Commission, she was fully culpable and deserves to serve her full sentence without parole.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Pita emphasised the importance of tackling her case transparently and impartially to restore public trust in Thailand's political system.

I agree with your sentiment sir, but restoring public trust is not likely to happen until you and your party are in power.

Good luck with that.

Why would Yingluck trust the justice system in Thailand?

 

It didn't help her much before, when she was ousted in a military coup and convicted in a court owned and controlled by the military, aided in part by Suthep Thaugsuban who had only just quit the royalist loving democrat party

6 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

What happened is pretty clear. Thaksin dreamed up a hair brained scheme whereby he took a gamble that India would have another drought and would not be able to supply the export market with rice.  So Thaksin would be able to corner the market and push the rice price up, making money for himself and cronies and maybe allowing the Thai government to make some too. Farmers would benefit up front from a high fixed price from the government.  

 

India had no drought, recorded a bumper harvest with record exports and Thaksin lost his bet and but still made big money from crooked deals where rice was exported to fake Chinese state entities at loss making big discounts and sold back to the Thai government at the rice pledging price.  Farmers lost out because Yingluck dissolved the government on Thaksin's orders without giving enough time to the finance minister, former stock jockey Kittirat, to enact legislation allowing the government to borrow enough money to finish paying farmers for rice already pledged.  This led to a number of suicides amongst farmers.

 

Yingluck's role in all this. She authorized the whole scam as president of the Rice Commission.  Even though she only attended two meetings of the Rice Commission, she was fully culpable and deserves to serve her full sentence without parole.

 

It's also been previously reported that taksin's older sister Yaowaluck (now deceased, often described as very corrupt) was deeply involved in developing the rice scheme.