Thai PM protests innocence amid impeachment threat

[webfact]

Thai PM protests innocence amid impeachment threat

BANGKOK, February 20, 2014 (AFP) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday protested her innocence after an anti-corruption panel filed charges of neglect of duty that could lead to her removal from office.

Yingluck, who has faced near four months of mass street protests seeking her resignation, questioned why the investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) into an expensive rice subsidy scheme had apparently been fast-tracked.

"I reaffirm that I am innocent of the accusations by the NACC," Yingluck said on her official Facebook page.

"Even though I am accused of criminal charges and face removal (from office), which were the wishes of people who want to overthrow the government, I am willing to cooperate to establish the facts," she added.

The NACC says Yingluck ignored warnings that the rice scheme was fostering corruption and causing financial losses. She has been summoned to hear the charges on February 27.

Yingluck urged the panel not to rush to deliver a ruling "which may be criticised by society as benefiting people who want to overthrow the government," noting that similar complaints against the previous administration were still under investigation.

Her critics say the controversial scheme, which guarantees farmers above-market rates for rice, has encouraged corruption, drained the public coffers and left the country with a mountain of unsold stock.

They accuse her billionaire family of using taxpayers' money to buy the loyalty of rural voters through such populist policies.

Yingluck said she was simply trying to improve the lives of farmers.

The opposition demonstrators want Yingluck to step down and make way for a temporary unelected government that would oversee loosely defined reforms to tackle corruption and alleged vote-buying.

The country's main opposition party boycotted a February 2 election and the results are not expected to be known until voting is held in constituencies where voting was disrupted by protesters.

In another legal setback to Yingluck, a Thai Civil Court on Wednesday ordered the government not to use force against peaceful protests, limiting the authorities' scope to deal with opposition rallies that have descended into violence on several occasions.

Sixteen people have been killed, both protesters and policemen, and hundreds injured in gunfire and grenade blasts.

New York-based Human Rights Watch accused both sides of using live ammunition in clashes on Tuesday in Bangkok's historic district in which five people were killed and dozens wounded.

"Excessive force by the police and violence by groups on both sides of the political divide needs to stop to prevent this situation from escalating out of control," HRW Asia director Brad Adams said in a statement.

The government has said security forces used only rubber bullets and not live ammunition.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-02-20

[Basil B]

We all know she is not guilty, all she has done is what she has been told to do and say...

Bangkok now in risk of flooding, by crocodile tears

Edited February 20, 2014 by Basil B

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Maybe there will finally be an accounting of the rice pledge scheme losses now that her job and freedom is on the line. She should spare her country and party the embarrassment and just high-tail it to Dubai.

[Thait Spot]

I can hear the sound of chickens coming home to roost

I can smell the aromas of roast goose

And very shortly I shall be able to hear the fat lady singing

[Nickymaster]

If I were Yinguck I would quickly sell the 20 billion kg rice they have in stock. With this money they can pay the farmers and pay back a large chunk of the loan at BAAC. Then my critics wouldn't have much left to say.

[bkkjames]

Lots of talk today she just violated some election law or constitution concerning her speech about rice pledging.

I figured it out now...finally. The whole amnesty thing was not aimed at what they did in the past, it's what they continue to do in the present and future lol

[rubl]

"Yingluck said she was simply trying to improve the lives of farmers."

My brother told me that the 'trickle down' effect greatly improves the lives of the poor in general and farmers specifically. Do you think I really like shopping?

[Nickymaster]

Maybe there will finally be an accounting of the rice pledge scheme losses now that her job and freedom is on the line. She should spare her country and party the embarrassment and just high-tail it to Dubai.

Indeed. Yingluck claims she is innocent but at the same time hasn't released any figures since the scheme started almost 3 years ago.

If you are innocent the first thing you would do is remove any speculation by revealing the numbers.

[djjamie]

Why is this news? As if she will admit guilt amid impeachment threat.

All it does from a PTP stand point is strengthen the resolve of the UDD when they march into the capital heavily armed and matches in hand when she is proven guilty because of the overwhelming evidence.

If the PTP want to blame the rice scheme problems on the PDRC then blame them for the corruption too.

[JoeThePoster]

Thai PM protests innocence amid impeachment threat

A million farmers pointing pic should settle this issue.

[ggold]

still blaming everyone else but herself. As head of government she has no alibi, the buck stops with her. Maybe Thaksin forgot to tell her that bit?

[jaidam]

The reason for the case being fast tracked?

Could be something to do with it costing the country about 3 billion baht per day, and they can't even pay for the last 6 months purchases?

[Scamper]

Yingluck has apparently all the time in the world to attend to her facebook page, and none to respond to the NACC's request for her to personally address their questions as part of the impeachment investigation next Thursday. Her constitutional duty to show up at the request of the NACC is apparently overshadowed by her constitutional duties to facebook. She is the object of the impeachment investigation. She can be removed from office if she is indicted, and yet she will not respond and instead send a " letter of explanation " - which is a slap in the face to this constitutional empowered institution - and send surrogates instead, who are not the subject of this impeachment inquiry. By not cooperating with the NACC, she has placed herself above the law and above this impeachment investigation. She has no right to signaling that she will not show up, and yet at the same time use her facebook page to slam the NACC by inference as a tool of the protest movement. Although it is acknowledged that her brother was able to evade the law, she is not in Dubai and she is constitutionally obligated to answer the questions of the NACC.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Scamper

[Rob8891]

How pathetic it is to see the country's top politician pleading via Facebook. She should grow a spine and face her accusers in person.

A pathetic figure.

[Katipo]

Oh do shut up Poo. Just stand down before you do any more damage to the country.... and get yourself in more hot water. Every time you open your mouth these days you do nothing but you come across as a pathetic whinger. You are Prime Minister in name, and nothing more.

[MaxLee]

"Yingluck said she was simply trying to improve the lives of farmers." Santa Pigs are coming to town!!!!!!!!!!!

"I'm innocent, I'm very very innocent. I'm just a puppet who wants to travel to Hawaii

[winstonc]

if shes innocent why all the secrets about the scheme...blaming the last gov about crimes corruption etc is the fault of the courts not the accused ...again its always someone elses fault over here and i mean the whole population not just her...its not thai bashing but with their mentality more like child bashing.

[MunterHunter]

Guilty as sin - we all know it, only we have to wait for the NACC to uncover all the evidence... i reckon once this sees daylight even the most staunch Red Shirts will be shocked at the levels of corruption and theivery involved in this Rice Pledging Scheme... mark my words.

[winstonc]

Maybe there will finally be an accounting of the rice pledge scheme losses now that her job and freedom is on the line. She should spare her country and party the embarrassment and just high-tail it to Dubai.

Indeed. Yingluck claims she is innocent but at the same time hasn't released any figures since the scheme started almost 3 years ago.

If you are innocent the first thing you would do is remove any speculation by revealing the numbers.

unfortunatley young nicholas you and the majority live in the real world,she thought harry potter was real..

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Maybe there will finally be an accounting of the rice pledge scheme losses now that her job and freedom is on the line. She should spare her country and party the embarrassment and just high-tail it to Dubai.

On your first point, hopefully when the NACC reveals all evidence about the rice scam there will be an accounting, or public outcry will demand a full accounting, constructed by a highly credible body and not constructed by the pt.

[AleG]

"Even though I am accused of criminal charges and face removal (from office), which were the wishes of people who want to overthrow the government, I am willing to cooperate to establish the facts," she added.

I am willing to cooperate to establish the facts

You are? Splendid!, then why don't you go to the NACC to do that?

[Soutpeel]

She should use the Nazi defence....I was only following orders

[icommunity]

PM YS and her cabinet did not ignore NACC warnings that the rice scheme was fostering corruption and causing financial losses. Measures and steps were being taken based on the warnings.

NACC should focus on supporting the effective policy implementation of a government and helping a government in fighting corruption, wrongdoings and punish farmers, traders, millers, officials and politicians caught cheating, colluding and sabotaging the scheme.

The government did not claim in anyway that rice pledging scheme is a money making scheme and without challenges. The rice scheme is to raise the living standard of rice farmer and therefore helps in boosting domestic consumption and ensuring food security. It also has a positive impact of the growth and development of related industries.

We have been focusing on problems instead of measures and steps toward successful implementation of a scheme/project - any scheme or project.

NACC should be careful of being entangled with politics.

[asiamint]

The simple fact is

They took the rice from the farmers and all they have to do now is sell the rice and pay the farmers. It's very simple really, you cant blame anyone else. When you have a plan you set aside money for risks that may occur due to price swings, lack of demand and corruption that is just basic business planning in Thailand.

Blaming all and sundry is just a smoke and mirror tactic. The fact is most of the rice has been sold out the backdoor and there is now a massive black hole in the accounts.

being a grown up businesswomen you cant use the excuse of ignorance

Did you/government have control of the rice? yes

Did you offer to pay the farmers a certain price within a certain time frame? yes

Where is the rice you bought? i don't know where most of it is now

Why don't you sell the Rice left in storage that the government controls? i would but no one wants to buy rotten rice

How will you pay the farmers who you signed contracts with? I don't know

You mean you have no plan? yes i have no plan

[webfact]

Yingluck defends her innocence on the rice scheme controversy



BANGKOK: -- Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday insisted that she is innocent and not involved in the rice-pledging scheme. She accused the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) of unfair treatment by pressing corruption charges on her in just 21 days of inquiry.

Posting in a lengthy statement on her Facebook page, Ms Yingluck insisted she is innocent but would be willing to cooperate with the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

“I reaffirm that I am innocent of the accusations by the NACC,” Yingluck said on her official Facebook page.

“Even though I am accused of criminal charges and face removal (from office), which were the wishes of people who want to overthrow the government, I am willing to cooperate to establish the facts.”

She went on saying “My work as Prime Minister and also as Chairperson of the National Rice Policy Committee is done at the policy level. While at the operational level, the implementation of the Rice Pledging Scheme requires the establishment of a framework, steps, and procedures by government agencies and officials in accordance with the policy direction given.”

She said “the government system of work has its own standards and regulations; therefore my work at the policy level does not have the authority to directly operate, order, or overrule the work of government officials in anyway. The implementation of projects involved with a policy must be in accordance with a Cabinet Resolution and must be based on Government Policy as announced to the House of Representatives, stipulated in Articles 171 and 178 of the Constitution of Thailand. I have always been aware that government work and private sector work must be based on such principles and with clear delegation of duties so that there is accountability in all related issues and accountability in each procedure.

Therefore, as there will be an announcement over the investigations into myself and although I have not been involved at the operational level, but nevertheless as I am being accused, I am compelled to exercise my rights within judicial procedures and therefore ask to examine the evidence and witnesses, in accordance with my rights in the judicial procedure as guaranteed by the Constitution of Thailand, so that I can correctly explain such accusations that I have not been involved in any wrongdoing to the NACC.”

She said she had submitted two official petition notes to the NACC since 11 February 2014, asking them to kindly consider reassigning any other NACC member to undertake the task of investigation, instead of Professor Vicha Mahakul.

“However, since that day, I have not been informed by the NACC that my two above-mentioned petitions for justice would be considered or not. Instead, on 18 February 2014, the NACC, through a press briefing by the NACC member that I wished to be substituted, announced that I have been called on 27 February 2014, at 14.00 hrs. to be notified of the charges. If one considers the duration since the NACC assigned its member to investigate the case on 28 January 2014 until the recent announcement on 18 February 2014, it is only just 21 days. This short duration that the NACC used to investigate a political case has never happened before.

Another observation is that a cabinet member in the last government has been charged with corruption on many counts, including corruption charges on their rice insurance scheme. Surprisingly, there has been no judicial development regarding that particular case, whereas it takes only 21 days to investigate and bring charges against me,” she added.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/yingluck-defends-innocence-rice-scheme-controversy/


-- Thai PBS 2014-02-20

[whoisyourdaddy]

It is without a doubt she is NOT guilty

She hardly attended parliament let alone meetings

[ratcatcher]

"Mummy, will you buy me a camel when we go and stay with Uncle Thaksin?"

[Prbkk]

She should use the Nazi defence....I was only following orders

No that one is already reserved for the one who retreats to the soft bed at the DT wolfsschanzer every night

[patjem]

One easy way for you to ascertain what the charges are, would be for you to turn up at the NACC next week to hear and acknowledge them, missy.

I wonder if she is aware of exactly what her spin doctor has posted on her official Facebook page yet, even.

[smedly]

Skype and facebook running Thailand - maybe the shins have shares in both

Edited February 20, 2014 by smedly