Yingluck & former ministers to pay half trillion baht compensation

[jmccarty]

That's $14,321,621,100 US dollars. Does she have that much?

I think her first compensation offer will be:

1 cup organic mushrooms for each billion.

She is a cutey!

[scorecard]

Good job done by PM Prayuth Chan o cha We salute you & the people of Thailand salute you .........

Someone needed to take control and try to get back the billions missing and wasted payed by taxpayers.

do NOT insult the people of Thailand

YOU can grovel as much as you like BUT the people of Thailand DO NOT salute him unless he has a gun (yes we know he has) and all the Thais I know do not support him your post is a presumptuous disgrace

What total rubbish.

[h90]

The Junta should have frozen all their assets from day 1. Any ill gotten gains have been squirreled 'offshore' a long time ago

They should take the buildings and everything that is more worth than a 5 year old motorbike....

[starky]

Ridiculous. How are they getting to the final figure? How will these monies be distributed? How are they planning on collecting? What they gonna do if she doesn't pay? Can't see miss Yl doing any boob, just doesn't work that way here. More posturing from a government that doesn't have a Scooby doo and needs to stay in power until THAT day comes IMO

[h90]

Good job done by PM Prayuth Chan o cha We salute you & the people of Thailand salute you .........

Someone needed to take control and try to get back the billions missing and wasted payed by taxpayers.

do NOT insult the people of Thailand

YOU can grovel as much as you like BUT the people of Thailand DO NOT salute him unless he has a gun (yes we know he has) and all the Thais I know do not support him your post is a presumptuous disgrace

You insult the intelligence of the people of Thailand if you think they like to pay inflated taxes so the Shinawatras live total luxurious with private airplanes.....

[Thai at Heart]

600 billion is about what Suthep and Gen. Prayut cost the country in their 'rule or ruin' campaign to shut the country down so as to justify military rule.

And that is so far. By the time they have finished it will be a lot more. These are also true losses to the country whereas the rice scheme just issued some of the money to the wrong people but it stayed in the country and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.

I doubt you can show where the 600 billion ( rice scam monies) went or is.I did not see it appear on asset declarations turned in. It was laundered via a few monks, crooked bankers, crooked relatives /family, etc each would get a little comp for handling and they may even have put a very small amount into local economy . By making them pay the money back they are going to get hit twice on conversion rates, lose the laundery fee and expose others involved.

Talk about squealing like a pig stuck under a gate. I just hope it comes to pass, it would set a beautiful example for future poloticians here and in other countries. Its a great idea if it works .

Most of it was lost by overpaying for the rice and then storing it for 3 years. The accusation isn't that it was nicked but that it was intentionally lost.

[ddavidovsky]

Has there been any proof that any law was actually broken, that there was any actual corruption in the rice scheme, examined and proven by independent auditors - any proof in particular that YL made financial gain? Perhaps I missed it.

If there was, then just prosecute those who were proven to have illegally pocketed the money.

The rice scheme was a government policy, and YL's government had a democratic mandate, which is more than this government has.

This ridiculous fine is non-constructive and will set the country back even further from reconciliation. It's clear that their idea of reconciliation is simply annihilation of the political opposition. Even darker days ahead then.

[realenglish1]

This is truly a joke I do not know any democracy where a Minister or President can be held libel for a failed government endeavor. I can now fully understand why not one with any

talent or true concern for their fellow Thai will want to run for public office. If you become Prime Minister then it seems you can be held financially libel for actions the govenement takes

with regard to schemes or things you do while in the capacity of a government office. This is wrong dead wrong Whether or not Yinluk is guilty or not guilty of wrong doings while in office. ( and I believe she is not Its politics and the fact that lots of people do not like what she stands for)

Regardless of her guild or not How can she be held financially responsible for it It. If this was the case then President Obama would be libel for hundreds of billions of Dollars for schemes he has come up with but did not work

This shows you the maturity or lack of democratic maturity Thais have .

The right thing to do would have been to hold new elections asap and find a new head of state I blame the Thai people not the General for the Coup. They are like Kids

if they do not like the game they take their shovel and pale home and do not want to play

Time Thais grow up . The general is not to blame It is the Thais for their petty little games they plan and truly do not embrace true democracy

[cookee68]

We all know that what the government tell you to do, is not the same as doing it

[quandow]

But no admission of guilt?

[Baerboxer]

Wow if this goes through, it is a good reason for the previous government to release their dogs of war again. This is serious money. It would really cripple them and make it hard for them to put money in the next election. This could certainly end in a paid for uprising by the previous government because this hits them where it hurts.

We do need to see if this will really happen (them paying money) but if this is really pushed it could make the previous government want to strike back.

Perhaps the gamble is that they can break the Shinawatra's without starting big trouble?

Have they considered what may happen if they jail Yingluck should she not be able/ refuse to pay? Are they strong enough to hold down the country and it's population, outside of Bangkok?

I think we can take it as another indication that this time they are playing for keeps.

We've already established they don't give two hoots what the international community thinks - ousting an elected Prime Minister and replacing her government with a military Junta, and then fining her 10 Billion Quid! The police awarding themselves that reward money pales into insignificance.

Playing for high stakes. Thaksin gambled on fiddling the Amnesty Bill through. Current government seem to be pushing things further now.

I don't think much would happen if they jailed Yingluck. She was removed by a court, nothing happened. Her former (or her brother's) caretaker administration was then removed in a coup. Nothing happened. The usual condemnation, hopes for a return to democracy etc from the usual self appointed champions of democracy (who were busy at the time helping Ukrainians unseat an elected government). The beating the war drum UDD meetings were wash outs, the Democracy Defense Volunteers supposed to be spontaneously formed didn't. No one marched on Bangkok. The population won't be outraged if she's jailed; or any other politician of any party is for that matter. The international community, or their governments, and probably the useless UN will spout all sorts of comments; and then do nothing.

The only reaction will be if her brother decides he doesn't want the family to loose money and decides to finance an insurgency. Pushing him into a corner may provoke a reaction. But there isn't a civilian government in power this time. The Junta are firmly in control. The Shins aren't really perceived as the champions of the poor, the altruistic benevolent benefactors any more. They've been caught out too many times and be shown to be just the same as all the other hiso, elite politicians.

Removing the Shins won't help or disadvantage the poor. But it will prevent new, genuine, politicians who do want to work for the good of all from emerging.

[Baerboxer]

Good job done by PM Prayuth Chan o cha We salute you & the people of Thailand salute you .........

Someone needed to take control and try to get back the billions missing and wasted payed by taxpayers.

do NOT insult the people of Thailand

YOU can grovel as much as you like BUT the people of Thailand DO NOT salute him unless he has a gun (yes we know he has) and all the Thais I know do not support him your post is a presumptuous disgrace

What total rubbish.

That old Shin supporters tactic of calling all posts that oppose the Shins a disgrace and claiming millions and millions of Thais just love being shafted by them.

[gchurch259]

If I were these "Know all about it" people who post some this anti-government stuff I would be afraid to answer if there was a knock at the door.

I am just a guess in this country, 12 years, as are some who post, some how ever are Thai and use the forum to blow off steam and dislike for the clean-up of corruption that is going on.

If you are a foreigner and not happy here, get out. If you are Thai and have let this country get this deep in corruption, then shut up and let the Good General/PM do his job. You can not straighten out decades of corruption in one or two years, maybe even four or five.

Me I have the proper Visa to be here, pay my 7% VAT to the government, all the rest goes to my beautiful and good Thai Wife !!

[jaidam]

The Junta should have frozen all their assets from day 1. Any ill gotten gains have been squirreled 'offshore' a long time ago

What about freezing the assets of the ultrabillionaire ultracorrupted military who have been plundering Thailand for decades, leaving this country as one of the poorest and miserable on the planet, where few men in uniform are amongstthe richest people in the planet and 99% of the population is starving to death.

Arguably one of Thaksin's biggest failings. He had every chance to effect real change in the military, but instead chose to give his bro Chaisit Shinawatra the armed forces trough and focus his attention on plundering.

[MarkmBha]

Let the appeals begin.

[sambum]

55555!

The day that Yingluck pays out that kinda money in compensation, is the day that 15 ducks fly outta my arse, fly up to the moon, circle it three times, and fly back down to earth and perform a tap-dance on my bellend.

Never gonna happen.

EVER.

Yup! "Ms. Yingluck and her former Cabinet members may appeal against the order with the Administrative Court."

"may"? If they don't :- " is the day that 15 ducks fly outta my arse, fly up to the moon, circle it three times, and fly back down to earth and perform a tap-dance on my bellend."!

[daveAustin]

They ain't got that much. Like 15 billion bucks innit?

[mikemac]

600 billion is about what Suthep and Gen. Prayut cost the country in their 'rule or ruin' campaign to shut the country down so as to justify military rule.

And that is so far. By the time they have finished it will be a lot more. These are also true losses to the country whereas the rice scheme just issued some of the money to the wrong people but it stayed in the country and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.

................."and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.".....................

So, you are saying that a "subsidy" that was suppose to benefit poor rice farmers actually became a financial gain for the "well off", and that is ok ? That the money was in fact not lost at all ?

Well, if that is the case I take back everything I have ever said about the rice scam. It was in fact a roaring success !

(sarcasm alert !)

[Srikcir]

Maybe she can borrow some from her brother? It was all his idea anyway.

Wasn't it originally Abhisit's idea? Yingluck just took it to a wider scale.

[NickJ]

That' an awful lotta mushrooms for ol Yingnoluck to sell......

[plachon]

She can sue the farmers to get it back. All 20mn of them

The phu noi always pay, ultimately, so no need to sue. Most of those 20 m are pseudo-farmers in any case and have a larger foot in the urban-industrial economy than they do in the rural economy. Giving them the rice subsidy was prolonging their poverty - the money would have been far better frittered away in trying to move a larger proportion of them into the modern economy and not try to turn back the inevitable tide of history. Trouble is, both warring networks, want to prolong the mythology of the Thai rice farmer being "the backbone of the economy", and have been quite happy to break their backs and keep them down in the mud in the process. Neither side are interested in democracy or liberation of the Thai peasant, that is clear.

[Srikcir]

600 billion is about what Suthep and Gen. Prayut cost the country in their 'rule or ruin' campaign to shut the country down so as to justify military rule.

And that is so far. By the time they have finished it will be a lot more. These are also true losses to the country whereas the rice scheme just issued some of the money to the wrong people but it stayed in the country and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.

................."and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.".....................

So, you are saying that a "subsidy" that was suppose to benefit poor rice farmers actually became a financial gain for the "well off", and that is ok ? That the money was in fact not lost at all ?

Well, if that is the case I take back everything I have ever said about the rice scam. It was in fact a roaring success !

(sarcasm alert !)

From the viewpoint that the farmers did receive their "subsidies" as a result of the rice pledge prorgam and, thus, did benefit directly from those funds - yes the scheme was a success.

Was it a profitable success to the Yingluck government - no

Was it ultimately self financing with rice prices not rising to the level of the subsidy price - no

Was the subsidy lost - no

Did Yingluck regime borrow funds to pay the subsidy - no

Did Prayut regime borrow the funds to pay the rice subsidy - yes

Has Prayut used tax dollars to finance numerous populist subsidies - yes

Is Prayut using the nation's treasury any different than Yingluck - no

[welshissan]

As a previous member has said. Has Yinluck,and her codefendants been found guilty of any charges brought against her about the rice scheme, or is this inept government putting the cart before the horse once again?

Just an honest question

[Thai at Heart]

600 billion is about what Suthep and Gen. Prayut cost the country in their 'rule or ruin' campaign to shut the country down so as to justify military rule.

And that is so far. By the time they have finished it will be a lot more. These are also true losses to the country whereas the rice scheme just issued some of the money to the wrong people but it stayed in the country and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.

................."and will be recirculated amongst all the well off. It was never lost.".....................

So, you are saying that a "subsidy" that was suppose to benefit poor rice farmers actually became a financial gain for the "well off", and that is ok ? That the money was in fact not lost at all ?

Well, if that is the case I take back everything I have ever said about the rice scam. It was in fact a roaring success !

(sarcasm alert !)

The govt has spent more than it expects to receive for the rice.

Who did it give the money to? Farmers, rice mills, warehouses, trucking companies.

The money went into the economy.

[Tatsujin]

Is reconciliation still supposed to be on the cards ... ?

[Mudcrab]

55555!

The day that Yingluck pays out that kinda money in compensation, is the day that 15 ducks fly outta my arse, fly up to the moon, circle it three times, and fly back down to earth and perform a tap-dance on my bellend.

Never gonna happen.

EVER.

How long have you had the ducks up your bum waiting for a turn of events like this?

I bet they are just busting to get out.

[Eric Loh]

I see this is much to placate the anti Thaksin group. Really the demand from the Ministry of Finance has no legal binding, even if Prayuth agree. Yingluck can just ignore and there is really nothing much the MOF can do. This just political posturing on the junta's part but really has no bite.

[spidermike007]

500 billion to be taken from the Shiniwatra coffers ?.

That's 'get some mercenaries, organise some buses and start a civil war' kind of money.

I hope most reds will realise just how much they are being used when they get the order.

Like last time the Shins got their bottoms smacked and Bangkok burnt, same will happen again. All very easy to understand, except we will be reading on TVF that it was collective outrage over the coup some years back. Ring any bells?

I am not so sure about that. They had alot of support at one time. Do they still? I wonder. Thaksin has behaved so poorly, and has been so disloyal to his nation, and his sister was quite a feckless "leader". I just wonder how much support remains, for these absolute fools.

I realize Thaksin was the first prime minister in Thai history to establish some populist policies. And I applaud him for that. But, what he has done with that popularity, and what he has done in the interim, is not exactly a proud achievement.

[Tatsujin]

The Junta should have frozen all their assets from day 1. Any ill gotten gains have been squirreled 'offshore' a long time ago

What about freezing the assets of the ultrabillionaire ultracorrupted military who have been plundering Thailand for decades, leaving this country as one of the poorest and miserable on the planet, where few men in uniform are amongstthe richest people in the planet and 99% of the population is starving to death.

Exaggerate much?

Thailand isn't even close to being a poor country, and the population most certainly is not starving to death, especially not considering they've all (lots/most) got nice new smartphones, cars and houses ... bought on credit admittedly.

[ldiablo]

Good job done by PM Prayuth Chan o cha We salute you & the people of Thailand salute you .........

Someone needed to take control and try to get back the billions missing and wasted payed by taxpayers.

Deputy PM for legal affairs Wissanu Krea-ngam said he would seek Prime Minister approval from General Prayut Chan-o-cha on this issue by September 30, so that the Ministry of Finance can issue the order for compensation.

A bit premature on your congratulations of the PM considering he hasn't even approved it yet.

Who's we? I haven't seen a single common Thai person salute him but I have witnessed many turning off their Television every night at 6pm and Friday at 8pm. I have asked and spoken with many Thai's that I know who live outside of bkk and very few have anything positive to say about this government.