Criminal charge recommended against ousted Thai PM
19 July NewsDaily
An anti-corruption body on Thursday recommended criminal charges
against Thailand's ousted prime minister over her government's rice
subsidy program, which cost the country's billions of dollars.National
Anti-Corruption Commissioner Vicha Mahakun said the commission voted
unanimously that former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra committed
dereliction of duty for failing to stop the program, a flagship policy
of her administration.
"The defendant insisted on continuing the rice subsidy, causing
further damages to the state, even though she had the direct authority
to stop or cancel the government's rice scheme to prevent more
corruption and losses, which is considered the biggest loss to the
country," Vicha said.The commission had already ruled in May that
Yingluck was liable for impeachment because her government's rice policy
was prone to corruption and massive losses. That decision came one day
after she was ousted by a court over alleged abuse of power. The
military seized power in a coup later that month.
Vicha said the commission will forward the case to prosecutors next
week for indictment by the country's supreme court for political office-holders.The
rice subsidy program, which paid the farmers double the market price,
helped Yingluck's government win votes in the 2011 general election, but
it accumulated losses of at least $4.4 billion and also cost Thailand
its position as the world's leading rice exporter for two years.Yingluck
has not spoken publicly since the coup, but she defended the program
while in office as a benefit to the country.
The anti-graft commission, one of several independent state agencies
with powers similar to those of a court, is seen as part of the
country's conservative establishment, which has removed several
governments allied with Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra. He was ousted by a military coup in 2006.Junta
spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree said earlier Thursday that the government
gave permission for Yingluck to travel overseas for the first time since
the military took power. Thai media speculated she and her son will go
to France to celebrate the birthday of Thaksin, who fled overseas in
2008 to avoid a corruption conviction. Thaksin turns 65 on July 26.
The junta agreed to Yingluck's request to leave Thailand on a
personal trip to Europe from July 20 to Aug. 10 since she "has not
violated any orders of the NCPO or any agreements, being the ban from
politics or the ban on overseas travels" and "has given good cooperation
all along," said junta spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree.Yingluck, along
with other former Cabinet ministers, were summoned and held briefly by
the military after the May 22 coup.
Upon their release, the detainees were asked to sign a form saying
they will not go abroad without the junta's permission and that they
will not engage in any kind of political action. |