Yingluck skips NLA grilling

[robblok]

Kittirat na Ranon ah the white lies minister, that indeed is what Yingluck needs, someone to lie for her. Its on par with the PTP of course

<<<< 26) The Bangkok Post and Phuketwan do not allow quotes from their news articles or other material to appear on Thaivisa.com. Neither do they allow links to their publications. Posts from members containing quotes from or links to Bangkok Post or Phuketwan publications will be deleted from the forum. >>>>

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4f908900-f045-11e1-93fa-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3Oy22C3p3

Edited January 16, 2015 by metisdead

[gemini81]

This woman just needs to down a bottle of sleeping pills and Jack Daniels.

[Robby nz]

What a dream team she has to defend her.

2 are already being investigated for corruption within the scheme :

"Facing graft probes in connection with the rice-pledging scheme are ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra, ex-commerce ministers Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, Boonsong Teriyapirom and Yanyong Phuangrach and former deputy commerce minister Poom Sarapol."

Another is a self confessed liar.

And the lawyer, wasn't he involved with the cake box bribery attempt ?

[Fat Haggis]

her team expoiting a loophole in the NLA's own rules? now who on earth would have thought this was possible?

She's going to be banned from Politics for 5 years, she knows this,as does every member of the NACC/NCPO/NLA/Junta.. it's like a featherweight boxer against a Heavy weight, the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion, she never attended any metteings, she's negligent on that part, she's not able to answer any questions about the scheme, as she was so far out of the loop.

Did anyone expect a grand old entry full of defiance? Her lawyers are smart, getting her to keep her mouth closed is damage limitation!!

[Thailand]

Maybe she was shopping ???

No this time she was not shopping.

She was just told by her advisers that she is too dumb to answer any questions so she better stay home.

To the disappointment of the judges and myself waiting for her to get ridiculed.....

But certainly smart enough to take their advice! And the ridicule appears to be appears on the NLA don't you think?

[Mango Bob]

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This woman just needs to down a bottle of sleeping pills and Jack Daniels.

Sure would be nice if you joined her.

[Thailand]

What a dream team she has to defend her.

2 are already being investigated for corruption within the scheme :

"Facing graft probes in connection with the rice-pledging scheme are ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra, ex-commerce ministers Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan, Boonsong Teriyapirom and Yanyong Phuangrach and former deputy commerce minister Poom Sarapol."

Another is a self confessed liar.

And the lawyer, wasn't he involved with the cake box bribery attempt ?

I'll bet the NLA are wishing they were on their team.

[gemini81]

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This woman just needs to down a bottle of sleeping pills and Jack Daniels.

Sure would be nice if you joined her.

You first Bob. Show your old thai visa pensioner loyal support for the feudal liege lord family- bow down and sacrifice to the altar of the shinawatras.

Edited January 16, 2015 by gemini81

[scorecard]

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Maybe she was shopping

No this time she was not shopping.
She was just told by her advisers that she is too dumb to answer any questions so she better stay home.
To the disappointment of the judges and myself waiting for her to get ridiculed.

But certainly smart enough to take their advice! And the ridicule appears to be appears on the NLA don't you think?

How's that?

[webfact]

Impeachment calls crescendo as D-Day nears for Thai PM

Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- A Thai anti-graft official said ousted prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra must face a "political punishment" for a costly rice subsidy scheme, as calls for her impeachment gathered steam Friday.

Yingluck, the kingdom's first female premier and the sister of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled from office by a controversial court ruling shortly before the army staged a coup in May.

She faces impeachment by the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly over her administration's loss-making rice programme, which funnelled cash to her rural base, but cost billions of dollars and was a driving force behind protests that felled her government.

The former businesswoman did not appear at her second hearing on Friday -- sparking indignation among anti-Shinawatra assembly members who refused to hear from former ministers sent to represent her.

Experts say the impeachment move is the latest attempt by Thailand's royalist elite, and its army backers, to nullify the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

A guilty verdict next Friday (January 23) would bring an automatic five-year ban from politics, but also risks enraging her family's 'Red Shirt' supporters who have laid low since the coup.

"Although she is no longer in her position she still has to face a political punishment," said Vicha Mahakhun, NACC commissioner.

His body led the probe into the rice scheme which paid farmers up to twice the market rate for their grain but left Thailand with a mountain of unsold rice.

A successful impeachment needs three-fifths of the 250-strong assembly to vote in favour when they meet next Friday.

"We warned the government twice (over the rice scheme) but the government ignored us," Vicha said, adding he hoped the Attorney-General would "agree" to also pursue a criminal charge against her over the scheme.

Last week Yingluck defended the scheme as a well-intentioned attempt to support Thailand's rural poor, who historically receive a disproportionately small slice of government cash.

"I ran the government with honesty and in accordance with all laws," she told the assembly.

But her failure to attend on Friday sparked sharp criticism from members known for their loathing of the Shinawatra clan, who bitterly divide opinion in Thailand.

"All of our questions are clearly and directly put to Yingluck... she should come to answer," said assembly member and renowned anti-Thaksin figure Somchai Saweangkarn.

The assembly ruled that Yingluck would have to answer their questions next week ahead of the vote.

Since Thaksin swept to power in 2001, Shinawatra governments have been floored by two coups and bloodied by the removal of three other premiers by the kingdom's interventionist courts.

The Shinawatras' rise has coincided with the declining health of Thailand's revered 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-01-16

[Robby nz]

What a great example of AFP bias, they make no secret of who's pocket they are in.

[brucec64]

her team expoiting a loophole in the NLA's own rules? now who on earth would have thought this was possible?

She's going to be banned from Politics for 5 years, she knows this,as does every member of the NACC/NCPO/NLA/Junta.. it's like a featherweight boxer against a Heavy weight, the outcome is pretty much a foregone conclusion, she never attended any metteings, she's negligent on that part, she's not able to answer any questions about the scheme, as she was so far out of the loop.

Did anyone expect a grand old entry full of defiance? Her lawyers are smart, getting her to keep her mouth closed is damage limitation!!

This was good advice from her lawyers considering that she is possibly facing a criminal trial. The rules governing questioning may not be the same during this process i.e. objections may not be possible for leading questions, etc. Anything she said now could be incriminating at a trial and she does not have to testify at a criminal trial.

[Basil B]

The cheek of it, an elected Prime Minister refusing to present herself before those tasked with impeaching her by the Junta who deposed her in a military coup!

Over to the Junta cheerleaders...

Just to get it clear... she was appointed PM by elected MP's many of whom were elected by corrupt means.

For her none attendance... I am not surprised given her track record.

Just surprised she came back from her holidays.

I presume Thailand has no equivalent of the US 5th amendment, "the right not to self incriminate"

Edited January 16, 2015 by Basil B

[Thailand]

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Maybe she was shopping

No this time she was not shopping.

She was just told by her advisers that she is too dumb to answer any questions so she better stay home.

To the disappointment of the judges and myself waiting for her to get ridiculed.

But certainly smart enough to take their advice! And the ridicule appears to be appears on the NLA don't you think?

How's that?

Not out!

[american12bthai]

if they are acting on her behalf then they can go to jail on her behalf.

[zaphod reborn]

What a great example of AFP bias, they make no secret of who's pocket they are in.

"her administration's loss-making rice programme, whichfunnelled cash to her rural base"

No, it funneled money to rice millers, large rice growers, rice warehouse owners, foreign rice smugglers, and all the PTP politicians and cronies who earned secondary profits and kickbacks from them.

[JOC]

>>However after a tense meeting with her lawyers last night, she was advised not to come as she might be cornered with numerous questions that she might not have knowledge in details as she was a policy holder and not a practitioner.<< Quote

I guess that is a nicer wording for: She is an air headed bimbo!!

[seajae]

"Experts" as in those in the shins pockets, ptp members and red supporters, everyone else in Thailand knows her and her brother need to be necked before they destroy the countrey

[webfact]

Yingluck refuses to face inquiry in NLA

BANGKOK: -- Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra refused to turn up in the National Legislative Assembly Friday to face inquiry by an NLA panel as part of the impeachment process.

Instead, she sent her team of nine lawyers and former Cabinet members to answer questions on behalf of her.

The inquiry committee prepared 14 questions to ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission to clarify and prepared 35 questions for the former prime minister to explain. Earlier, the inquiry panel planned to ask her 60 questions.

At the start of the session, some NLA members tried to protest, saying Yingluck should come to answer the questions by herself.

But NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said there were no regulations to force Yingluck to answer the questions by herself.

After several NLA members demanded to know the reasons why Yingluck did not turn up to answer the questions, Norawit Laleng, Yingluck's lawyer, said the meeting regulations allowed Yingluck to assign others to answer questions for her.


-- The Nation 2015-01-16

[Tatsujin]

Much as I'd love to hear her try to personally answer any question asked of her just for once (it's always comedy gold), if their "rules" allow for someone else to speak on her behalf then she's done the sensible thing (from her point of view) and taken advantage of it.

When they rewrite all the rules again this time around however, they perhaps need to add the clause that people appear in person, to speak for themselves and to not allow them to hide behind their lawyers.

[Fat Haggis]

I think it's quite funny that the ones demanding her to attend simply didn't know their own system rules, for YL and her legal team, to exploit it, and then have a brass neck to question her about her lack of knowledge about the rice fiasco!!

Pots calling the designer clad kettle black.. oh the irony indeed!!

[stopthegreed]

She didn't want to go, because they wouldnt tell her, what questions they were going to ask before hand, so she could manufacture the answers.

The whole thing stinks,

Sieze her assets, and throw her in Jail with all the other criminals.

Until she decides to answer the questions put to her.

She was involved, not her solicitors, she should answer.......... end of !!!

[gemini81]

What a great example of AFP bias, they make no secret of who's pocket they are in.

"her administration's loss-making rice programme, whichfunnelled cash to her rural base"

No, it funneled money to rice millers, large rice growers, rice warehouse owners, foreign rice smugglers, and all the PTP politicians and cronies who earned secondary profits and kickbacks from them.

Absolute spot on fact... and that is the music she doesn't wanna face. That she knew it was going on, aloof and self centered, in attendance or not, falls on her for being in the position of PM overseeing it.

[jcb2001]

"Experts" as in those in the shins pockets, ptp members and red supporters, everyone else in Thailand knows her and her brother need to be necked before they destroy the country

Agree,

the sad part of this is she has shown no real remorse for all the poor farmers that she hurt. Her actions ( or inactions) brought Thailand to it's knees, financially during her reign.

She needs to be held accountable for her inactions. Just impeaching her does not do justice to all those that suffered while she was chairman of the Rice-pledging scheme. She needs to be made an example of, plain and simple.

[webfact]

Ex-PM appoints former ministers as her defence
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 16 -- Former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has appointed her ousted ministers who were involved in the controversial rice-pledging scheme to give statements in defending her before an inquiry committee set up by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), her lawyer Norawit Lalaeng said today.

Ms Yingluck faces impeachment for alleged dereliction of duty in the scheme, as she is accused by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of being tainted with corruption.

She did not appear before the inquiry committee on Friday and, according to Mr Norawit, she had appointed former ministers in her government to give defending statements on behalf of her as they also knew the details.

Ms Yingluck, also chairwoman of the National Rice Policy Committee at the time when she was the premier, appeared before the committee during the first hearing on January 9 and had already explained every charges brought against her, said Mr Norawit.

He said Ms Yingluck would definitely attend the closing statement on the case next Thursday.

Ms Yingluck's lawyers advised her to appoint the ministers responsible in the rice-pledging scheme to answer the charges on her behalf, he added.

The NLA has set next Friday for the vote on the impeachment cases against her. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2015-01-16

[Suffinator]

Above the law. T.I.T.

[scorecard]

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"Experts" as in those in the shins pockets, ptp members and red supporters, everyone else in Thailand knows her and her brother need to be necked before they destroy the country

Agree,

the sad part of this is she has shown no real remorse for all the poor farmers that she hurt. Her actions ( or inactions) brought Thailand to it's knees, financially during her reign.

She needs to be held accountable for her inactions. Just impeaching her does not do justice to all those that suffered while she was chairman of the Rice-pledging scheme. She needs to be made an example of, plain and simple.

Well in essence I agree but it must be seen that this case has been taken through due and fair process, for a number of reasons.

IMHO what must also happen, quickly, is that this is used, along with other cases to educate in terms of why the law exists and how it works, the very undesirable impacts of not applying the law equally. And at the same time get on with total restructure etc., of the RTP and better laws that absolutely prohibit the establishment of politicians / parties controlling or interfering with the police or any branch of the beaurocracy.

Edited January 16, 2015 by scorecard

[FangFerang]

Her tactic of having representatives answer questions was also employed twice in the last year by the power brokers aligned with her political rivals.

I think it is hilarious that the General at the witch hunt demanded she appear, even though a direct relative of his used the same tactic to send representatives just before the coup.

You don't have to love either side to see the front men and women of both sides are just... new puppets on very old strings.

Edited January 16, 2015 by FangFerang

[eggers]

Bet her next move will be to....................Dubai!!!

[DLock]

This is quite funny, and whilst I despise the Shin clan, I don't blame her for taking advantage of the NLA's owns rule.

We all know it would have been a mitigated disaster, and I guess we were all looking forward to see her make an ass of herself again.

What's the big deal of impeachment anyway? 5 year ban? Big deal. There are at least 2 other Shins waiting in the wings. She will be a martyr for 5 years and likely come back stronger as people forget just how bad she was.

One can only hope that she faces criminal charges, but I think that is a bridge too far.

I was looking forward to all the funny sound bites from her questioning, but alas, it is not to be....yet.