NACC charge Yingluck and her former cabinet of malfeasance over compensation to victims of violence

[Lite Beer]

NACC charge Yingluck and her former cabinet of malfeasance over compensation to victims of political violence

BANGKOK: -- The National Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to charge former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her 34 former cabinet members with malfeasance in office for their joint decision to provide financial compensation to victims of political violence during 205-2010.

NACC spokesman Vicha Mahakhun disclosed Thursday that the commission found that the payment of the financial compensation from the Central Fund had no legal basis because it did not concern the government’s performance of duty in national administration. Nor did it concern public service or for emergency case.

However, the commission ruled that the compensation in the form of welfare fund was meant to help people affected by political violence.

The Yingluck administration spent about two billion baht to compensate the political victims.

Mr Vicha said the NACC would give an opportunity for the former prime minister and her ex-ministers to make their defence before the commission.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nacc-charge-yingluck-and-her-former-cabinet-of-malfeasance-over-compensation-to-victims-of-political-violence

-- Thai PBS 2015-05-14

[MobileContent]

I think under Abhisit they also gave compensations if I remember correctly but then again new government new rulings.

[cocopops]

The PTB should reign Vicha in sooner rather than later.

It seems clear at this point that Yingluck Shinawatra and her family are finished in politics. Association with the Shinawatra name will be continue to function as political currency in some parts of the country for decades to come, but there's really nothing that the current government can do to change that. Certainly this kind of prosecution won't affect it.

So what's the point of this? Presumably it's to send a message to future democratic politicians that they must toe the line. But I wonder - assuming they are elected by more or less the same constituency that has elected all recent democratic governments - what message will they actually hear? That the law must be absolutely respected, or that the "other side" must be purged from the judiciary and independent bodies before any real governing* can take place?

I'm thinking the latter. And that's not a good thing.

* nearly used the word "reform" there. Sigh....

Edited May 14, 2015 by cocopops

[waza]

The rule of law must prevail, or at least seems to

It doesnt matter what the devotees of any particular persuasion think, but its paramount that they see that the rules of law governs everyone behavior.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tbthailand]

The PTB should reign Vicha in sooner rather than later.

It seems clear at this point that Yingluck Shinawatra and her family are finished in politics. Association with the Shinawatra name will be continue to function as political currency in some parts of the country for decades to come, but there's really nothing that the current government can do to change that. Certainly this kind of prosecution won't affect it.

So what's the point of this? Presumably it's to send a message to future democratic politicians that they must toe the line. But I wonder - assuming they are elected by more or less the same constituency that has elected all recent democratic governments - what message will they actually hear? That the law must be absolutely respected, or that the "other side" must be purged from the judiciary and independent bodies before any real governing* can take place?

I'm thinking the latter. And that's not a good thing.

* nearly used the word "reform" there. Sigh....

Mr Vicha is a former junta charter writer and is famous for his "we all know that elections are evil" comment. His actions would appear to demonstrate an amazing hatred of his political opponents. Beyond that, I am not sure that he has a point at all... for this or any other vengeance that he dishes out

[oneday]

The "Yellow Shirts" are now in charge so THEY can do what THEY want and what THEY want to do is stamp out all "Red Shirt" opposition so there won't even be a party left to compete in the next elections.

Whack-a-mole, whack-a-mole. Stick your head up and get it smacked down by the current government.

Whack!!!

[rametindallas]

I think under Abhisit they also gave compensations if I remember correctly but then again new government new rulings.

Too lazy to find a link so you just throw that 'factoid' out there? Maybe you are confused or your memory is conflated. When you are not sure, don't publish. What a troll you are.

Examples of CONFLATE

<be careful not to conflate gossip with real news

<the movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not

[jayboy]

I think under Abhisit they also gave compensations if I remember correctly but then again new government new rulings.

Too lazy to find a link so you just throw that 'factoid' out there? Maybe you are confused or your memory is conflated. When you are not sure, don't publish. What a troll you are.

Examples of CONFLATE

<be careful not to conflate gossip with real news

<the movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not

And you should be careful of seeing "links" as sources of the unvarnished truth.In fact gossip is often extremely revealing, especially in Thailand where the press is partly muzzled.

[Baerboxer]

The PTB should reign Vicha in sooner rather than later.

It seems clear at this point that Yingluck Shinawatra and her family are finished in politics. Association with the Shinawatra name will be continue to function as political currency in some parts of the country for decades to come, but there's really nothing that the current government can do to change that. Certainly this kind of prosecution won't affect it.

So what's the point of this? Presumably it's to send a message to future democratic politicians that they must toe the line. But I wonder - assuming they are elected by more or less the same constituency that has elected all recent democratic governments - what message will they actually hear? That the law must be absolutely respected, or that the "other side" must be purged from the judiciary and independent bodies before any real governing* can take place?

I'm thinking the latter. And that's not a good thing.

* nearly used the word "reform" there. Sigh....

Mr Vicha is a former junta charter writer and is famous for his "we all know that elections are evil" comment. His actions would appear to demonstrate an amazing hatred of his political opponents. Beyond that, I am not sure that he has a point at all... for this or any other vengeance that he dishes out

Usual Shin fan tactic - attack the messenger and distract from the message.

Is this another example of the Shins using tax payers money to "compensate" those who support them? Perhaps worthy of investigation given the large amount of money involved and the Shin record of seemingly keeping very loose accounting practices.

[Baerboxer]

I think under Abhisit they also gave compensations if I remember correctly but then again new government new rulings.

Too lazy to find a link so you just throw that 'factoid' out there? Maybe you are confused or your memory is conflated. When you are not sure, don't publish. What a troll you are.

Examples of CONFLATE

<be careful not to conflate gossip with real news

<the movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not

And you should be careful of seeing "links" as sources of the unvarnished truth.In fact gossip is often extremely revealing, especially in Thailand where the press is partly muzzled.

Yes and gossip can be trusted

Not as if some might start rumors and gossip to discredit someone, or support certain views.

Of course, intellectual giants like yourself always instinctively know right from wrong

[jayboy]

I think under Abhisit they also gave compensations if I remember correctly but then again new government new rulings.

Too lazy to find a link so you just throw that 'factoid' out there? Maybe you are confused or your memory is conflated. When you are not sure, don't publish. What a troll you are.

Examples of CONFLATE

<be careful not to conflate gossip with real news

<the movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not

And you should be careful of seeing "links" as sources of the unvarnished truth.In fact gossip is often extremely revealing, especially in Thailand where the press is partly muzzled.

Yes and gossip can be trusted

Not as if some might start rumors and gossip to discredit someone, or support certain views.

Of course, intellectual giants like yourself always instinctively know right from wrong

No it would be absurd to rely on any one source.Knowledge and comprehension comes from a great variety of material.I have never quite understood why an argument bolstered by a link is seen on this forum as trumping any dissent.

I certainly don't claim any moral superiority.In the troubled Thai political world there are no heroes and surprisingly few real villains.

[mikemac]

No it would be absurd to rely on any one source.Knowledge and comprehension comes from a great variety of material.I have never quite understood why an argument bolstered by a link is seen on this forum as trumping any dissent.

I certainly don't claim any moral superiority.In the troubled Thai political world there are no heroes and surprisingly few real villains.

I agree with your comment regarding "villains" in Thai politics. Not too many politicians in Thailand are looked at that way because as far as they are concerned they have done nothing wrong. They all seem to think alike and are only doing what they think is "the right thing". The voters probably think - "I would do the same thing if I had his job".

Us foreigners seem to get more worked up about it than your average Thai because we insist on living by the laws we did "back 'ome".

Venting our spleens here on the forum fills some time in for us, but has no other benefit.

[FangFerang]

It's a purge, nothing more. They are still angry Thaksin cashed in on technology before tjhe old elite figured out what technology was and is....

The pot calls the kettle black.

The kettle calls the pot jet

Same same, but different.......

[phoenixdoglover]

So, as I understand the article, the malfeasance is not that the government compensated victims, it is that they used the General Fund instead of the Welfare Fund.

An accounting error? Or the Welfare Fund was depleted? The article is mute on these obvious questions.

It sure would be nice if the Thai Press would get off their collective butts and demonstrate some interest in issues. You know, investigate.

[Srikcir]

The rule of law must prevail, or at least seems to

It doesnt matter what the devotees of any particular persuasion think, but its paramount that they see that the rules of law governs everyone behavior.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

EXCEPT when the rule of law is ABOLISHED and rewritten by an unelected, minority of aristocrats who use military force instead of plebesite to govern.

[tbthailand]

The PTB should reign Vicha in sooner rather than later.

It seems clear at this point that Yingluck Shinawatra and her family are finished in politics. Association with the Shinawatra name will be continue to function as political currency in some parts of the country for decades to come, but there's really nothing that the current government can do to change that. Certainly this kind of prosecution won't affect it.

So what's the point of this? Presumably it's to send a message to future democratic politicians that they must toe the line. But I wonder - assuming they are elected by more or less the same constituency that has elected all recent democratic governments - what message will they actually hear? That the law must be absolutely respected, or that the "other side" must be purged from the judiciary and independent bodies before any real governing* can take place?

I'm thinking the latter. And that's not a good thing.

* nearly used the word "reform" there. Sigh....

Mr Vicha is a former junta charter writer and is famous for his "we all know that elections are evil" comment. His actions would appear to demonstrate an amazing hatred of his political opponents. Beyond that, I am not sure that he has a point at all... for this or any other vengeance that he dishes out

Usual Shin fan tactic - attack the messenger and distract from the message.

Is this another example of the Shins using tax payers money to "compensate" those who support them? Perhaps worthy of investigation given the large amount of money involved and the Shin record of seemingly keeping very loose accounting practices.

Vicha is a nutter - he is not the "messenger" here - he is the culprit. He is running the NACC - you call that being the "messenger"??

Now, OTOH, ... around 90 people get killed by the government and you call it "the Shins using taxpayer money to compensate supporters"

That is about the most crass comment I've seen in a long time.

Here is some information from the BBC at the time the fund was approved - obviously some readers on this forum need a refresher : you might even notice that it was not allocated only to "shin supporters"

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-16500472

The fund will cover families of the deceased, as well as those who were hurt or ''unfairly detained''.

...

The fund was recommended by the official Truth for Reconciliation Commission, formed after the unrest in 2010.

...

Under the approved fund, families of those killed will be given 250,000 baht for funeral expenses and an additional 3 million baht for ''psychological trauma caused'', Thai local media reported.

A committee has been set up to manage the details and process payments, which could also go to "yellow-shirt" protesters - who opposed Mr Thaksin and a subsequent government of his allies, and who protested in large numbers in 2005 and 2008.

Mr Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was elected prime minister last year. The spokeswoman said Ms Yingluck's government wanted to show that it had "taken responsibility by giving to all sides".

[tbthailand]

So, as I understand the article, the malfeasance is not that the government compensated victims, it is that they used the General Fund instead of the Welfare Fund.

An accounting error? Or the Welfare Fund was depleted? The article is mute on these obvious questions.

It sure would be nice if the Thai Press would get off their collective butts and demonstrate some interest in issues. You know, investigate.

investigation could cause confusion and misunderstandings which is illegal under the current Thai "government"

[tbthailand]

No it would be absurd to rely on any one source.Knowledge and comprehension comes from a great variety of material.I have never quite understood why an argument bolstered by a link is seen on this forum as trumping any dissent.

I certainly don't claim any moral superiority.In the troubled Thai political world there are no heroes and surprisingly few real villains.

an argument bolstered by a link is seen on this forum as trumping any dissent.

tony cartalucci?