Thai prosecutors press criminal charges against ex-PM Yingluck

[webfact]

Thai prosecutors press criminal charges against ex-PM

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's attorney general has pressed criminal charges against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra for negligence related to her government's money-losing rice subsidy scheme.

The prosecutors' office on Thursday submitted 20 boxes of the case's documents to the Supreme Court's criminal division for politicians.

They accused Yingluck of dereliction in overseeing a rice subsidy scheme that lost billions of dollars and temporarily cost Thailand its crown as the world's top rice exporter.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and to prevent his allies from returning to power.

It came one month after Yingluck was impeached on similar grounds by the military-appointed legislature and banned from politics for five years.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-19

[webfact]

Thai ex-PM Yingluck to be indicted over rice subsidy
Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- Former Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra was set to be formally indicted over a bungled rice subsidy scheme Thursday in the latest legal move against her polarising family that could see her jailed for up to a decade.

Thailand's junta-stacked government is also considering launching a civil suit against the nation's first female prime minister to seek $18 billion in compensation for damages caused by the scheme.

Yingluck, sister of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was retroactively impeached last month by an assembly appointed by the junta which seized power from her elected government last May.

She has been banned from leaving the country since authorities announced she would face criminal charges over the populist scheme on the same day she was impeached, a move carrying an automatic five-year ban from politics.


Yingluck did not attend the indictment at Bangkok's Supreme Court on Thursday but her lawyer Norawit Larlaeng said she had no plans to travel overseas after rumours she might seek to flee the kingdom.

"She will enter the justice process," he told reporters ahead of the formal charges being laid out.

The ex-premier has defended the rice scheme as a necessary subsidy to help poor farmers who historically receive a disproportionately small slice of government cash.

But while popular among the Shinawatras' vote base in Thailand's rural heartlands in the north and northeast it was economically disastrous, leading to massive stockpiles of the grain.

On Wednesday Finance Minister Sommai Phasee said his ministry had received a letter from the national graft agency asking it to pursue a civil suit against Yingluck to recover losses of $18 billion as a result of the scheme.

"The finance ministry oversees damages to the state and is ready to take action," he said.

The subsidy, which paid farmers in the rural Shinawatra heartland twice the market rate for their crop, cost billions of dollars and inspired protests that felled Yingluck's government and led to a military takeover on May 22.

Experts say the impeachment and criminal charges are the latest attempt by the country's royalist elite, and its army backers, to extinguish the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

The clan draws the loyalty of urban working-class voters and farmers from the north and northeast, who applaud the family for recognising their changing social and economic aspirations.

Since seizing power, Thailand's military have banned political gatherings, censored the media, arrested and detained opponents and ramped up prosecution under the country's controversial lese majeste laws.

The junta says it will hold fresh elections in early 2016 once reforms to tackle corruption and curb the power of political parties are codified in a new constitution.

Thaksin, a policeman-turned-billionaire telecoms tycoon and premier who was ousted in a 2006 coup, has been in self-exile since 2008 to avoid being jailed for corruption.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-02-19

[Freed1948]

Watch her run!

[doctormann]

Should take her into custody now.

She can maybe post Bt600Bn bail - should be enough!

DM

[DiamondKing]

And the WITCH HUNT continues

And if I were her I would of ran a long time ago she has no chance of any fair trial or anything with a government that imposed itself at the point of a gun

[aussieinthailand]

I'd like to ask people of supporters of both factions a question,

Why is it not the priority of the law to go after the people that stole the rice and money to fund the project? why are they not in the spotlight? and lets face it,

It wasn't just politicians, there were warehouse's contractors, millers, large rice growing company's, middle men, go after them and get the money back.

[DiamondKing]

Experts say the impeachment and criminal charges are the latest attempt by the country's royalist elite, and its army backers, to extinguish the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

Says it all, its the only way the yellows can get back in power by hunting down all those that WILL BEAT them again in a fair election they cant win so they get the military to take over and start their witch hunt

Its a joke that Prayut is saying they are trying to reconcile the country and the opposition is silenced and is not allowed to have a voice against what is going on

COMPLETE JOKE

[scorecard]

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Experts say the impeachment and criminal charges are the latest attempt by the country's royalist elite, and its army backers, to extinguish the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

Says it all, its the only way the yellows can get back in power by hunting down all those that WILL BEAT them again in a fair election they cant win so they get the military to take over and start their witch hunt

Its a joke that Prayut is saying they are trying to reconcile the country alt=cheesy.gif width=32 height=20> and the opposition is silenced and is not allowed to have a voice against what is going on

COMPLETE JOKE

Others would disagree, there is an argument that much of the approach / actions of the previous government was the ultimate catalyst to push for reforms.

But of course blaming everything on the previous government is not fair.

.

[scorecard]

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I'd like to ask people of supporters of both factions a question,

Why is it not the priority of the law to go after the people that stole the rice and money to fund the project? why are they not in the spotlight? and lets face it,

It wasn't just politicians, there were warehouse's contractors, millers, large rice growing company's, middle men, go after them and get the money back.

About three weeks ago charges were laid against most of the categories you mention. (From memory 34 people charged.)

[rubl]

"The move is widely seen as an attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and to prevent his allies from returning to power."

The move is widely seen as seeking justice with the former PM Yingluck's self-financing scheme having lost 700 billion Baht and she frequently stating the scheme reached it's goal, she to be in charge.

[rametindallas]

And the WITCH HUNT continues

And if I were her I would of ran a long time ago she has no chance of any fair trial or anything with a government that imposed itself at the point of a gun

No, the witch hunt is over; they have caught the witch.

[jdinasia]

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

Experts say the impeachment and criminal charges are the latest attempt by the country's royalist elite, and its army backers, to extinguish the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

Says it all, its the only way the yellows can get back in power by hunting down all those that WILL BEAT them again in a fair election they cant win so they get the military to take over and start their witch hunt

Its a joke that Prayut is saying they are trying to reconcile the country alt=cheesy.gif width=32 height=20> and the opposition is silenced and is not allowed to have a voice against what is going on

COMPLETE JOKE

Others would disagree, there is an argument that much of the approach / actions of the previous government was the ultimate catalyst to push for reforms.

But of course blaming everything on the previous government is not fair.

.

Agreed.

.

People seem to forget that Yingluck appointed herself as the head of the rice policy committee. Even when it was obvious it had failed ; she maintained that it was a success.

[rubl]

I'd like to ask people of supporters of both factions a question,

Why is it not the priority of the law to go after the people that stole the rice and money to fund the project? why are they not in the spotlight? and lets face it,

It wasn't just politicians, there were warehouse's contractors, millers, large rice growing company's, middle men, go after them and get the money back.

Parallel activity.

Mind you, a larger part of the money was on overpriced paddy. difficult to blame anyone but the government which paid it.

Pity Ms. Yingluck didn't have the time to hear the case, but then as private person she so much more busy than Abhisit/Suthep in 2013 going to the OAG's office to hear charges while discussing a blanket amnesty bill and preparing for a censure debate.

[Cuchulainn]

Good news. Get the cell ready!!!

[NeverSure]

"The move is widely seen as an attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and to prevent his allies from returning to power."

The move is widely seen as seeking justice with the former PM Yingluck's self-financing scheme having lost 700 billion Baht and she frequently stating the scheme reached it's goal, she to be in charge.

In the civilized Western world it's seen as a political agenda. In the civilized world the junta is seen as illegitimate and illegal and lacking standing to prosecute anyone.

I have seen no proof that Yingluck stole the rice money herself. I have seen allegations of negligence.

This is a political cleansing to rid Thailand of the Shinawatra influence.

If criminal charges are to be brought they should have proof as to who the thieves were. Buying rice for above market price isn't illegal. Stealing that rice, cooking the books and so on is illegal. Who did that? Are they saying that YS did?

[15Peter20]

And the political hijacking of the legal system continues......

Edited February 19, 2015 by 15Peter20

[Mister Fixit]

And the WITCH HUNT continues

And if I were her I would of ran a long time ago she has no chance of any fair trial or anything with a government that imposed itself at the point of a gun

Which they did for a very good reason, and it is all coming out now ...

[DiamondKing]

And the WITCH HUNT continues

And if I were her I would of ran a long time ago she has no chance of any fair trial or anything with a government that imposed itself at the point of a gun

Which they did for a very good reason, and it is all coming out now ...

Nope they did it to take over the country the only way they could at the point of a gun because they could not win a fair election pure and simple.

[rubl]

"The move is widely seen as an attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and to prevent his allies from returning to power."

The move is widely seen as seeking justice with the former PM Yingluck's self-financing scheme having lost 700 billion Baht and she frequently stating the scheme reached it's goal, she to be in charge.

In the civilized Western world it's seen as a political agenda. In the civilized world the junta is seen as illegitimate and illegal and lacking standing to prosecute anyone.

I have seen no proof that Yingluck stole the rice money herself. I have seen allegations of negligence.

This is a political cleansing to rid Thailand of the Shinawatra influence.

If criminal charges are to be brought they should have proof as to who the thieves were. Buying rice for above market price isn't illegal. Stealing that rice, cooking the books and so on is illegal. Who did that? Are they saying that YS did?

In the civilised Western World the governments still have contacts with the Thai government and are even looking forward to get part of the Infrastructure business. Did you write your representative that your country is dealing with illegitimates which opens your countries government to possible prosecution?

Mind you, the USA Envoy said the Thai government should work on perception.

Anyway, the OAG charged Ms. Yingluck who send her legal advisor as she's really too busy at the moment. Chinese New Year you know.

As for the charge, it is not stealing, it's "negligence", causing losses. Didn't you read the first to posts in this topic?

"They accused Yingluck of dereliction in overseeing a rice subsidy scheme that lost billions of dollars and temporarily cost Thailand its crown as the world's top rice exporter."

[webfact]

Thai ex-PM Yingluck indicted over rice subsidy scheme
Bangkok, Thailand | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- Former Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra was formally indicted over a bungled rice subsidy scheme Thursday in the latest legal move against her polarising family that could see her jailed for up to a decade.

Thailand's junta-stacked government is also considering launching a civil suit against the nation's first female prime minister to seek $18 billion in compensation for damages caused by the scheme which her government introduced.

The indictment comes after Yingluck, sister of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was retroactively impeached last month by an assembly appointed by the junta which seized power from her elected government last May.

"Today we have indicted former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra... for dereliction of duty" in relation to the costly rice scheme, said Chutichai Sakhakorn, director-general of the special litigation department at the Office of the Attorney General.

The Supreme Court will decide whether or not to accept the case on March 19.

The ousted premier has been banned from leaving the country since authorities announced she would face criminal charges over the populist scheme on the same day she was impeached, a move carrying an automatic five-year ban from politics.

Yingluck did not attend the indictment at Bangkok's Supreme Court but her lawyer Norawit Larlaeng said she had no plans to travel overseas after rumours she might seek to flee the kingdom.

"She will enter the justice process," he told reporters ahead of the formal charges being laid out.

- Popular but disastrous scheme -

The ex-premier has defended the rice scheme as a necessary subsidy to help poor farmers who historically receive a disproportionately small slice of government cash.

But while popular among the Shinawatras' vote base in Thailand's rural heartlands in the north and northeast it was economically disastrous, leading to massive stockpiles of the grain.

On Wednesday Finance Minister Sommai Phasee said his ministry had received a letter from the national graft agency asking it to pursue a civil suit against Yingluck to recover losses of $18 billion as a result of the scheme.

"The finance ministry oversees damages to the state and is ready to take action," he said.

The subsidy, which paid farmers in the rural Shinawatra heartland twice the market rate for their crop, cost billions of dollars and inspired protests that felled Yingluck's government and led to a military takeover on May 22.

Experts say the impeachment and criminal charges are the latest attempt by the country's royalist elite, and its army backers, to extinguish the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

The clan draws the loyalty of urban working-class voters and farmers from the north and northeast, who applaud the family for recognising their changing social and economic aspirations.

Since seizing power, Thailand's military have banned political gatherings, censored the media, arrested and detained opponents and ramped up prosecution under the country's controversial lese majeste laws.

The junta says it will hold fresh elections in early 2016 once reforms to tackle corruption and curb the power of political parties are codified in a new constitution.

Thaksin, a policeman-turned-billionaire telecoms tycoon and premier who was ousted in a 2006 coup, has been in self-exile since 2008 to avoid being jailed for corruption.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-02-19

[WhizBang]

Experts say the impeachment and criminal charges are the latest attempt by the country's royalist elite, and its army backers, to extinguish the political influence of the Shinawatras, whose parties have won every election since 2001.

Says it all, its the only way the yellows can get back in power by hunting down all those that WILL BEAT them again in a fair election they cant win so they get the military to take over and start their witch hunt

Its a joke that Prayut is saying they are trying to reconcile the country and the opposition is silenced and is not allowed to have a voice against what is going on

COMPLETE JOKE

Yes you are.

[webfact]

OAG indicts Yingluck before Supreme Court



BANGKOK: -- The Office of the Attorney General today officially indicted former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders in connection with her failed rice-pledging scheme.

Ms Yingluck did not appear before the supreme court when the OAG prosecutors brought the case against her but designated her lawyers to hear the indictment.

The prosecutors said in the suit accusing Ms Yingluck of dereliction of duty for not suspending the rice pledging scheme after it was found to have cause enormous loss because of rampant corruption.

Failure to stop the scheme resulted in the loss of over 500 billion baht, the prosecutor said.

One of her lawyers Anek Kamchum explained the reason why Ms Yingluck did not appear before the court today to hear the charges but reaffirmed she would defend the charge and would also appear when the trial begins.

He also said she was not fairly treated during the investigation process involving the National Anti Counter Corruption Commission.

According to the judicial process, the Supreme Court will have a meeting to select nine judges to form a panel to consider whether to accept the case for trial.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/oag-indicts-yingluck-supreme-court


-- Thai PBS 2015-02-19

[thesetat2013]

And the WITCH HUNT continues

And if I were her I would of ran a long time ago she has no chance of any fair trial or anything with a government that imposed itself at the point of a gun

In case you don't remember she had passed the time limit to be acting PM and she refused to step down. Also you seem to forget that during many of the meetings she was supposed to attend that she was instead on a shopping trip out of the country. You also seem to forget that the military is not prosecuting her. The same prosecutors she used when she was PM will be used now. So where is the witch hunt? Who is giving her the unfair trial? Why didn't she leave her position when the time ran out for her to be there? Ohh I forgot! She is democracy? Hehee Edited February 19, 2015 by thesetat2013

[ratcatcher]

Ms Yingluck did not appear before the supreme court....

The star of the show didn't come to the theatre. I believe she may have garnered more sympathy from some had she attended.

Stay tuned for Act 2.

[Robby nz]

"The move is widely seen as an attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and to prevent his allies from returning to power."

The move is widely seen as seeking justice with the former PM Yingluck's self-financing scheme having lost 700 billion Baht and she frequently stating the scheme reached it's goal, she to be in charge.

The 700 billion and counting, for there are still ongoing storage and marketing costs to be added, is in fact only the tip of the lossberg to the country and the people.

There are the lost markets that may never be got back, such as Iran which was once one of the top buyers.

The confidence in Thai rice as a premium product was destroyed when the PT Govt sold inferior rice to several countries including the US and Ivory Coast.

The rice traders who before the scheme were the ones who bought Thai rice on behalf of their customers were forced to go to other countries to buy rice for those customers who were loyal to them and trusted the traders to get what they wanted and give them a fair deal.

Those traders are still buying rice for their customers from other countries and may never come back into the Thai market, if the do come back it will only be to buy for a low price

Then there is the loss to the farmers themselves who are now deeper in debt than ever before and have to service that debt with interest.

The scheme which was touted as helping the poor has been found by research to have only reached 18% of poor farmers and that 18% only got 5% of the money paid out to farmers, yet rents and costs of fertilizer and chemicals were pushed up by the landlords and companies to get their share, so the poor farmers were even worse off than before.

The 82% of poor farmers who could not participate in the scheme were also burdened with the higher costs making them even poorer than before.

There is the interest that must be paid on the bonds and loans to be taken out to pay for the losses, that will in part have to be borne by a future generation of tax payers..

And now we see a proposal to write off 45 billion of farmers debt : http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/801632-moac-proposes-that-govt-write-off-45-billion-baht-of-farmers-debts/

Then there are the costs of all the investigations and legal action associated with the scheme which will no doubt run into billions.

All to be added to the 700 billion.

And some call going after those responsible a witch hunt and suggest it should just be forgotten.

[scorecard]

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And the WITCH HUNT continues

And if I were her I would of ran a long time ago she has no chance of any fair trial or anything with a government that imposed itself at the point of a gun

Which they did for a very good reason, and it is all coming out now ...

Nope they did it to take over the country the only way they could at the point of a gun because they could not win a fair election pure and simple.

Have you got any constructive on topic discussion points for this or any thread?

[steven100]

Yingluck was last seen headed east in a taxi with 12 suitcases ...........

ask by the police .....

Excuse me Miss Yingluck .. where are you going ?

Oh , i'm just off to Dubai for the weekend to do a bit of shopping .....

[dru2]

"The move is widely seen as an attempt to cripple the political machine of Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in the 2006 coup, and to prevent his allies from returning to power."

The move is widely seen as seeking justice with the former PM Yingluck's self-financing scheme having lost 700 billion Baht and she frequently stating the scheme reached it's goal, she to be in charge.

In the civilized Western world it's seen as a political agenda. In the civilized world the junta is seen as illegitimate and illegal and lacking standing to prosecute anyone.

I have seen no proof that Yingluck stole the rice money herself. I have seen allegations of negligence.

This is a political cleansing to rid Thailand of the Shinawatra influence.

If criminal charges are to be brought they should have proof as to who the thieves were. Buying rice for above market price isn't illegal. Stealing that rice, cooking the books and so on is illegal. Who did that? Are they saying that YS did?

The courts are suggesting that Yingluck willfully ignored obvious fraud and cooking of the books.

[Lite Beer]

Yingluck no show for formal charge in Supreme Court

BANGKOK: -- Former prime minister Yingluck Shinwatra was formally charged in the Supreme Court in the rice-pledging negligence case Thursday but she refused to turn up at the court.

By normal practice, the former prime minister was supposed to meet the public prosecutor in charge of the case would take her to the court for formal arraignment.

Instead, she sent her lawyer, Norawich Larleng to meet submit her letter to the attorney general, explaining her reason not to meet the public prosecutor.

The letter said process Thursday was for the public prosecutor to file charge against her in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office. As a result, she did not have to be there when the arraignment was made.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Yingluck-no-show-for-formal-charge-in-Supreme-Cour-30254428.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-19

[Keesters]

When will she be arrested?