Yingluck's fate on rice scheme to be known tomorrow

[webfact]

Yingluck's fate on rice scheme to be known tomorrow



BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Attorney-General will decide by tomorrow whether it will prosecute ex-Premier Yingluck Shinawatra in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders for her role in the controversial rice-pledging scheme which incurred enormous loss to the country from alleged corruption.

Deputy spokesperson of the Office Mrs Santanee Disayabutr said under a constitutional organic law related to holders of political positions, the attorney-general is required to prosecute the accused politician within 30 days after it received investigation case file from the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC).

She said the 30-day time frame ends tomorrow and the attorney needs to come up with a decision.

However there is also an exception if the attorney-general saw the case file is still not substantial to prosecute her on the charge, then it will notify the NACC for more investigation.

However if the attorney-general saw the case file complete, then it could go ahead with the prosecution immediately with no need to require the accused appearing in the court.

But this process must require that the accused has known residence in the country, she said.

Meanwhile Mr Wanchai Rujanawong, director-general of the Foreign Case Office, and spokesman of the office of the Attorney-General said the case was being handled by the attorney-general.

He said if the attorney-general has finished his study of the case file, he will make it known to the public at a press conference.

Earlier the attorney-general has appointed a team of public prosecutors to scrutinise the NACC’s case file against former prime minister Yingluck regarding the rice pledging scheme that incurred a loss of 500 billion baht.

The team has taken 30 days to complete examination of the 4,000-page case file of the NACC which has decided to indict Ms Yingluck of gross negligence of duty in supervising the rice pledging scheme causing extensive damage to the state.

Earlier Attorney-General Trakul Vinichaipark disclosed that Ms Yingluck had asked the Office of Attorney-General to question 50 more witnesses.

However, he said that the team of prosecutors would have to examine the case file first to determine whether the case was strong enough or not and whether more evidences are to be needed.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/yinglucks-fate-rice-scheme-known-tomorrow/


-- Thai PBS 2014-09-03

[saltandpepper]

I think that a deal has been closed, and this is why she came back from her overseas trip. She won't be prosecuted, and someone else will have to face the court.

[Thailand]

I think that a deal has been closed, and this is why she came back from her overseas trip. She won't be prosecuted, and someone else will have to face the court.

Quite possible.

Probably one of the many deals that are likely to have been brokered between the old and the new recently.

[lapd]

I think that a deal has been closed, and this is why she came back from her overseas trip. She won't be prosecuted, and someone else will have to face the court.

She did that overseas trip so that if she actually decides to run she can do it again without raising suspicion.

Edited September 3, 2014 by lapd

[catterwell]

It's a procedural issue. Tomorrow's deadline is for the AG do decide whether to proceed with criminal charges on the evidence as presented. That's possible, but unlikely.More likely is that they'll move to the next step, which is to establish a joint AG-NACC committee to organise evidence according to the specific criminal charges and to seek additional evidence or witnesses as they jointly deem appropriate. That takes time. Afterwards, the AG can opt to prosecute or not; if not the the NACC can prosecute in its own right.

Once a prosecution is started, the matter is entirely in the hands of the court.

[h90]

I think that a deal has been closed, and this is why she came back from her overseas trip. She won't be prosecuted, and someone else will have to face the court.

Of course, some deal again...Thaksin doesn't cause troubles and the family can stay and keep the money.

Than in 2 years he'll start making troubles again.....

[ezzra]

I hope that they will throw the sack (book) of rice at her and all her cronies and lackeys

that has shamelessly bled the country dry for so long and nothing to show for, as most

of the farmers on that handout are still where they were before they were handed free money....

[Baerboxer]

I hope that they will throw the sack (book) of rice at her and all her cronies and lackeys

that has shamelessly bled the country dry for so long and nothing to show for, as most

of the farmers on that handout are still where they were before they were handed free money....

It would be nice to see justice done. But, as usual, one way or another, a Shin won't really be punished. Deals within deals, courtesy among the elite and all that.

She'll get to stay, a billionaire, live the life of luxury, and at "worst" be banned from politics for 5 years. Sure that will bother her.

What about the good commerce ministers, Arisman's missus company. Chalerm's son's mate who was running things in the logistics, Nat's transport, the false sales deal lied to the public? All gone quiet.

[chotthee]

I hope she pay for her sin.

Every single gain of it.

And the dozen of suicides she had caused.

Krama finally catch up.

[IamNoone88]

Sondhi got sentenced. The worm may turn and she could well be in trouble.

[Evolare]

Many if's and but's

[mikemac]

I know a lot of people think this woman has the mentality of a watermelon, but you will never convince me that she did not know that "some" of the things she did while PM were dodgy, to say the least. In a lot of other countries she would have the book thrown at her and pay for her sins.

But as another poster said, she is of the Shinawatra regime, and elitist, a hi-so, an untouchable.

Hope I live long enough to see Karma catch up with this disgusting excuse for a family.

[tifino]

...plenty of bad rice to feed her on in prison...

[Tatsujin]

It would be good to see her get some kind of punishment for defrauding the country . . . however the person who is really behind ALL of PT's policies should also take the fall . . .

[Halion]

Something does not gel with regard to the way this whole issue is being handled and there is a strong possibility that a deal has been brokered. Since her reported return to Thailand there has been no evidence of her presence in this country, no press coverage,interviews or shopping trips, so those looking for justice should not hold their breath.

[fullcave]

At least she has the balls to not run away and hide like her evil twin...

[dotpoom]

"the attorney-general is required to prosecute the accused politician within 30 days after it received investigation case file from the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC)."

I think they should have added "If there is enough evidence against said politician". According to that statement....they have to charge the person regardless.................

[drand11]

If a PM is responsible for all illegal acts done by others in Govt.all PM's would goto jail. Its a crazy system.

[Prbkk]

Just political games, there never was a case to answer.

[behonset]

It is a crime how these scandalous Chinese-Thai on both sides of the political divide get away scott free from all types of fraud

[gemini81]

she is spending the night with me at my house. i can tell you she is very nervous about tomorrow. i don't think she will be able to sleep tonight.

She said she was coming here!

In which sense?

[chotthee]

If a PM is responsible for all illegal acts done by others in Govt.all PM's would goto jail. Its a crazy system.

If the PM is the chairman/chairwomen of the project, an illegal act done in the project, yes, that chairman/chairwomen have to go to jail.

[EnglishJohn]

I think that a deal has been closed, and this is why she came back from her overseas trip. She won't be prosecuted, and someone else will have to face the court.

She will, but she won't get a jail term. I think that was the deal.

[See the bears]

How much of the rice went bad from last November till now when the government were not able to function due to the PRDC/Army teamwork?

[howzat]

Wot I don't understand is that the corruption that cost the country billions which politicians actually noticeably benefitted. For example new big houses being built on golf courses with exotic coloured Rolls Royces etc standing in the drives. Surely someone somewhere would have named and shamed. Where have all these billions gone.

[sambum]

At least she has the balls to not run away and hide like her evil twin...

Maybe Probably knows something we don't!

[tomacht8]

She was the chairwoman of the rice committee and have assumed the responsibility.

She has almost never attend meetings.

Clear supervision violation.

She had no idea?

Then she lied to the people, everything was ok and yes corruption-free.

Well gambled 500 billion away, to …..?
(I hope the NACC still looking for the missing money!)
At least she should return some money.

She did get money for work she never did.

It's a shame how here the elites simply can get away with it.

On the whole, an irresponsible kindergarten, which has cost lives and the taxpayers, a lot of money.

[h90]

If she is prosecuted, she becomes a martyr with very high political credit (not the same as credibility at all)., She'd be the Thai An Yung Sukki. I really don't see much commentary on the fallout, just lots of opinions concerning culpability.

The political reality is something different. If prosecuted or not, the people that voted for her are not going to suddenly swing to the Democrat side. The Powers That Be, not the same as the politicians here at all, definitely need her out of the picture without a backlash. There really are a lot of smart Thais, just not often in the public sector. I don't think either side behind the scenes is really comfortable with the situation. No clear cut winners afterwards if any missteps take place, They can ban her from politics, but all she has to do is endorse someone.

then it's right back to square one, again, with another inevitable coup.

Amazing Thailand.

I am interested in seeing how this plays out.

Well, if you seize all the family properties and money in Thailand, than she will be much less martyr than if she stays in jail.

Reasons are enough, most if not all family members are in some obvious corrupt business.....Even Thaksins ex-wife complained about his other sister can't get enough.....

[Nickymaster]

Just political games, there never was a case to answer.

I know Yingluck won't be able to answer anything but that is not the issue.

[johnmcc6]

Just political games, there never was a case to answer.

One must consider she may have been played by her brother and got in way over her head with regards to her advisors (see brother). When I recall her public appearances she never really said anything other than standard political motherhood crap. I too think a deal has been struck. I think her and her brother believe they had better pull their heads in, at least in the short term. I doubt the real players with Thaskin,( i e the family ), would allow his sister to be shoved under the bus as it were.

There is no doubt the rice scheme was rorted. But I kinda think she was to naieve to know what was about. Other than the idiotic new rules to control booze, I think the new government is doing O K. lol . Let us just hope it all works out for the benenefit of all Thai's and of course, all of us expats as well !