Black-clad Yingluck cuts a relaxed figure at Supreme Court

[stephen tracy]

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

What do you think it should be then, is Yingluck a nice girl, good mum and produces tasty mushrooms?

 

Of course it's the game politicians play. She was part of a scheme that was created to buy votes, and also provide some nice earning opportunities for the "boys" as a thank you. Had everything gone according to plan, they'd have declared it a big success, but of course never revealed how much money and where it all went. When it went wrong they hoped to use some of the 2.2 trillion baht loan to cover it all up. She, or her controllers / advisers, exposed her by being to clever. She appointed herself as Chair, then buggered off and never chaired or attended any meetings. Now that may have been their idea to create plausible deniability. But someone forgot she was the self appointed chair, the one who repeatedly said she and only she was in charge.

 

She made the rod for her own back. And she hasn't offered any defense,  nor have her legal teams, because they haven't got one.

 

So she's been caught out in a self created check-mate.

The rice scheme/scam is an excuse to rid Thailand of any democratic aspirations whatsoever and maintain the patronage system so the elites remain in control and no one is allowed to question that.  Just ask Prayuth where he got all his money.  Ooops, not allowed... jail for that. I keep saying it and I'll say it again: criminals prosecuting criminals has no credibility.

[Eric Loh]

14 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

It's about driving another Shin, one who was prepared to be big brother's latest stooge, out of politics. And perhaps act as a warning to other family and close friends for future. 

 

She, or those advising/controlling her, put her in an indefensible position. She appointed herself to chair the scheme, the never bothered to do it; or to respond to the internal and external warnings. She repeatedly said she, and only she, was totally in charge.

 

Why they put her in such a position and then kept her away, is one of those mysteries we'll never know. Plausible deniability - yep, but wide open to negligence. But I guess they never dreamed they'd be out of power, thought they'd get Thaksin back and simply loose all this in the new 2.2 trillion baht loan pot.

 

Although she's an accomplished actress, and went willingly along with big brother, and certainly lied on many, many occasions to the public, you have to feel she's in an unenviable position due to big brother.

You and your mates still don't get it. The rural poor has been awaken and intergrated with the rest of the world. The ancient feudal system that relied on the lower class continued servitude and acceptance of a deeply embedded caste system is over. The superior-inferior fiction has eroded fast. Thaksin gave the rural population a sense of upward mobility and a vision of shared governance. You can't stuff the genie back and the dynamic has change. The military elites better reconsider their views and co-exist. 

[Chris Lawrence]

41 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

"The rice policy has been proven to benefit the economy at the grass roots level and nationwide. It did not cause losses. Which is why I intended to make this rice scheme work," Yingluck told the court.

"The rice scheme was honest and correct," she added.

 

So, why did she never bother to attend any of the meetings she appointed herself to chair if she was so intent on making the scheme work?

 

If the scheme was honest and correct why have detailed audited financial management accounts ever been produced?

 

She states here that the were no losses, and she makes that statement under oath. How can she know that unless she has the accounts?

 

If convicted, wonder if she'll face an additional charge of perjury? Tharit won't be there this time to make it go away with a farcical new interpretation of perjury. And as she's the one on trial this time his last get out won't apply.

 

 

Or why wasn't an audit done and produced at her trial?

 

Well Baer I see you haven't completed your law studies or are you trolling?

[Baerboxer]

Just now, Eric Loh said:

You and your mates still don't get it. The rural poor has been awaken and intergrated with the rest of the world. The ancient feudal system that relied on the lower class continued servitude and acceptance of a deeply embedded caste system is over. The superior-inferior fiction has eroded fast. Thaksin gave the rural population a sense of upward mobility and a vision of shared governance. You can't stuff the genie back and the dynamic has change. The military elites better reconsider their views and co-exist. 

 

Thaksin is a crook, who heads a large family of crooks (check how many of the extended family have convictions). He may have awoken some things, but he'd be one of the ones trying to stuff the genie in the bottle if he and his gang were still in power. He isn't the sharing kind.

Real change will not happen with one gang simply replacing another. 

[stephen tracy]

1 minute ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Thaksin is a crook, who heads a large family of crooks (check how many of the extended family have convictions). He may have awoken some things, but he'd be one of the ones trying to stuff the genie in the bottle if he and his gang were still in power. He isn't the sharing kind.

Real change will not happen with one gang simply replacing another. 

They're all crooks.  That's why Prayuth has effectively made it illegal to question his family's wealth.

[Golgota]

The only and sole goal of the Junta is to prevent any Shinawatra to ever come to politics again.

Unfortunately they are losing this bet.

 

If the rice scheme was such a mess, the most reasonable thing to do would be to let them fall, and lose the support from their base. But the dear Prayuth, pushed by Suthep ( a guy crooked to the bones), came too fast.

Now they are making, one more time, a martyr from Yingluck...and they will pay the price in a way or another....If they just had wait, Yingluck would have fall alone...

[Baerboxer]

Just now, Chris Lawrence said:

Or why wasn't an audit done and produced at her trial?

 

Well Baer I see you haven't completed your law studies or are you trolling?

 

So you admit then that she was negligent? That there is no defense against not bothering to even turn up to chair the meetings; or take any actions despite receiving many warnings? And not apparently producing any accounts is a tad negligent?

 

Why haven't her legal team produced the accounts, if they have them and  then pressed the audit and sales since topics?

 

We'll never know. But of course you and your mates can all dismiss it as a witch hunt, claim it really was a success, that the G2G deals weren't frauds etc etc. You only fool yourselves.

[Baerboxer]

4 minutes ago, stephen tracy said:

They're all crooks.  That's why Prayuth has effectively made it illegal to question his family's wealth.

 

Of course Stephen. The old established families who run things to suit themselves, versus the new brash usurpers who wants to grab it all for themselves.

And all of these very powerful, very wealthy, elites are the people who make the laws for others, but not themselves.

 

And until that changes, nothing else really will. And the Shiniwattras are just one faction in that mass.

[stephen tracy]

5 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Of course Stephen. The old established families who run things to suit themselves, versus the new brash usurpers who wants to grab it all for themselves.

And all of these very powerful, very wealthy, elites are the people who make the laws for others, but not themselves.

 

And until that changes, nothing else really will. And the Shiniwattras are just one faction in that mass.

So why constant support one set of crooks over the other? Stability?  Right.

[snoop1130]

Yingluck says she is a victim of “subtle political game”

 

 

Ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra ended her trial of the controversial rice-pledging scheme today (Aug 1) saying she was a victim of “subtle political game” and begging for the high court to hand down a judgement with justice and honesty based on facts, evidence and witness accounts.

 

In delivering her 29-page closing statement in trembling voices before the judges of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions this morning, Ms Yingluck said she did nothing wrong.

 

She said what she did was to use her experience as a normal individual who was born in the rural area and had a chance to learn and feel the plight of the poor farmers who this country used to describe them as “the spine of the nation” and call on all Thais to take care of them.

 

She said she has fulfilled their calls by implementing the rice-pledging scheme which she said has constituted concrete proof of success in helping the farmers.

 

During the implementation period, farmers had better quality of life, their kids have better chances for higher education.

 

“It is the pride of my life that once I had a chance to implement this policy for rice farmers,” she told the court.

 

In delivering the closing statement for over an hour, Ms Yingluck also accused Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for giving press interviews in a way that lead the public into believing that she was guilty in the case.

 

She said on July 25, Gen Prayut gave in interview to the media and said “if this scheme isn’t wrong, how could it go all the way to the justice system.” She said the remark was tantamount to a conclusion that she was guilty despite the fact that the court has not yet had a judgement.

 

In the closing statement, Ms Yingluck listed six main points she would like the court to consider.

 

The first point, she said, the investigation, charge and prosecution is unfair and unlawful as the National Anti-Corruption Commission hastily decided to file a charge against her after only 79 days of investigation.

 

The second point she raised was that her rice-pledging scheme was a public policy that benefited the farmers. The scheme, she noted, was based on sound economic principles and was implemented in good faith, in accordance with the Constitution and laws.

 

The third point, Ms Yingluck said, she had never neglected her duty and had no power to stop the scheme arbitrarily.

 

The fourth point, she pointed out was that the rice pledging scheme was not suspended because it benefited the farmers and did not cause damage as alleged by the plaintiff. Instead it helped to relieve the debt burden of the poor farmers.

 

Full Story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/yingluck-says-victim-subtle-political-game/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-8-1

[halloween]

43 minutes ago, Tilacme said:

Strikes me that you are trying to prove a negative with that comment.

The point is already proven. At the time it was announced, the policy's stated aim was to help "the poorest farmers". The results were quite different, as the poorest farmers received no benefit, poor farmers received very little, and the majority of the money paid out to farmers went to the better off and wealthy.

 

Now that she has made her statement in court, the words poor and poorest seem almost totally omitted.

[halloween]

40 minutes ago, Chris Lawrence said:

Or why wasn't an audit done and produced at her trial?

 

Well Baer I see you haven't completed your law studies or are you trolling?

What leads you to believe that an audit, or something approaching one, wasn't presented during the trial?

 

Or is that something else I should know though you don't?

[opalred]

will they allow her to take her gold plated chopsticks to jail

[ChrisY1]

I believe she wasn't dishonest....just naive.

[eggers]

She's a smooth operator, knows how to work the supporters & media, dresses for the moment, certainly, always plays the "victim card"...poor me!!!                Well trained by "Puppeteer from Dubai" ..... See how reacts to a guilty verdict, that'll test the act!! 

[amdy2206]

She would never have a fair trial - the despicable Thailand and Bangkok 'so called' elite will make sure of that. I really despise the Thai Elite who only think about themselves and stamp on anyone else. UK members may remember 'Upstairs, Downstairs' which was the norm in England in 1900's, fortunatly no longer,  but this attitude is still prevalent in Thailand. 'You are my servant. Do as I say'. Sorry for the rant but the Elite class will ruin Thailand in the end. They will be ok, but the rest of the country will suffer.

[gummy]

7 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

in my opinion is a war crime

I agree but alas killing innocent people in Thailand is a decades old past time for the military in support of the Elite

[JemJem]

I wouldn't consider her an ideal leader at all. However, she is a real fine politician, compared to say the likes of Erdogan and Duterte.

[stephen tracy]

11 minutes ago, JemJem said:

I wouldn't consider her an ideal leader at all. However, she is a real fine politician, compared to say the likes of Erdogan and Duterte.

You are setting the bar a bit low mind!

[Sparkles]

7 hours ago, hyku1147 said:

She is a hottie!

Having met the lady many years ago I assure you she is not but she is very photogenic and the daily grooming at the beauty shop does help.

 

I believe she should have been charged with stupidity not malicious intent for being at the wheel without any experince of the dirty world of politics and just being a mouthpiece.

 

Found guilty she will appeal and it will continue a long running saga

 

Meanwhile her untouchable brother sits in his luxury  pad without a care in the world

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Your opinion of course. Thaksin still not got his whitewash and no longer controlling the trough; little sis on trial. Other family members and close supporters on or facing trials and some in prison.

 

The Shins would've ruined Thailand with their 2.2 trillion baht loan - which they wanted to manage away from parliament. No doubt with the same opaque clarity accounting they used in the rice scheme.

 

 

The 2.2 trillion baht loan was that for transportation ?  That does not seem unreasonable.  What does the poorly executed and managed rice scheme have to do with modernizing transportation ?

 

Other people are controlling the trough and they are discouraging people to partake in the economy.  China and Thailand's neighbors are far more inviting for doing business.  China may lack in aspects of liberty, but has lots of pursuit of happiness, as many intolerant Thai expatiates attest too by their constant moaning. 

 

No doubt Thailand deserves better, but better just does not exist, or is not electable, inside the country. 

[Tilacme]

1 hour ago, halloween said:

The point is already proven. At the time it was announced, the policy's stated aim was to help "the poorest farmers". The results were quite different, as the poorest farmers received no benefit, poor farmers received very little, and the majority of the money paid out to farmers went to the better off and wealthy.

 

Now that she has made her statement in court, the words poor and poorest seem almost totally omitted.

I don't know what statistics you are relying upon to be able to say that the point is already proved.  Personally I don't trust any statistics. I was however around when the pledge was in operation and the rice farmers were grateful for the higher price.  It was a supply and demand strategy which unfortunately collapsed when  india and others were able to equal the marginal propensity to consume. 

[scorecard]

53 minutes ago, eggers said:

She's a smooth operator, knows how to work the supporters & media, dresses for the moment, certainly, always plays the "victim card"...poor me!!!                Well trained by "Puppeteer from Dubai" ..... See how reacts to a guilty verdict, that'll test the act!! 

 

Just wondering where Suranand fits into all the points / scenarios above?

[stephen tracy]

58 minutes ago, eggers said:

She's a smooth operator, knows how to work the supporters & media, dresses for the moment, certainly, always plays the "victim card"...poor me!!!                Well trained by "Puppeteer from Dubai" ..... See how reacts to a guilty verdict, that'll test the act!! 

Lets see how supporters/sympathisers react to the verdict... that will test the junta's act.

[Cashboy]

I have to say that the scheme was floored.

I saw a couple of years later that the Thai farmers were paid a subsidy based on the number of rai of rice up to a maximum of 10 rai.

That was a much better scheme because:

1)  No logistics and storage for the government

2)  It helped poor farmers as opposed to commercial enterprises

3)  Prevented rice being imported from Vietnam and Laos being sold to the government as Thai rice.

[phantomfiddler]

"My brother talked me into this, your Honour", he said it would garner as many votes as his all time award winning "Vote for me and I will give every village in Thailand 1,000,000 Bht" statement ! 

[phantomfiddler]

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

I will let you wallow in your ignorance. If not Thaksin, it will just be another popular elected leader and the military elites will do

the same coup and try imposed their dominance. They have been doing this since 1932. Thaksin only a part player in the 94 odd years. 

How can you call "Baerboxer" ignorant purely because he is aware that thaksin was a crook ? He WAS a crook, the biggest crook ever to rip off this country, and of course there will be others to follow him, hopefully on not so large a scale.

[stephen tracy]

10 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

How can you call "Baerboxer" ignorant purely because he is aware that thaksin was a crook ? He WAS a crook, the biggest crook ever to rip off this country, and of course there will be others to follow him, hopefully on not so large a scale.

"the biggest crook ever to rip off this country" Sure about that?

[Tilacme]

14 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

How can you call "Baerboxer" ignorant purely because he is aware that thaksin was a crook ? He WAS a crook, the biggest crook ever to rip off this country, and of course there will be others to follow him, hopefully on not so large a scale.

How do you define "crook" in Thailand?

[JAG]

She would never have a fair trial - the despicable Thailand and Bangkok 'so called' elite will make sure of that. I really despise the Thai Elite who only think about themselves and stamp on anyone else. UK members may remember 'Upstairs, Downstairs' which was the norm in England in 1900's, fortunatly no longer,  but this attitude is still prevalent in Thailand. 'You are my servant. Do as I say'. Sorry for the rant but the Elite class will ruin Thailand in the end. They will be ok, but the rest of the country will suffer.

Or possibly end up being chased down the road by the rest of the country...

This will at least give us a chance to find out how fast one of those fancy new Chinese made APCs will go on the motorway to the airport!