Thread: Thailand's Yingluck Faces Trial and Political Ruin

Yingluck Shinawatra will face court Tuesday at the start of a trial which
could see her jailed for a decade (AFP photo/Christophe Archambault)

AFP
May 17, 2015
By Jerome Taylor

Thailand's first female prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra faces court Tuesday at the start of a negligence trial which could see her jailed for a decade and deliver a hammer blow to the political dominance of her family.

It is the latest legal move against Yingluck -- sister of fugitive billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra -- whose administration was toppled in a military coup nearly a year ago. She is accused of criminal negligence over a populist but economically disastrous rice subsidy scheme, which paid farmers in the rural Shinawatra heartland twice the market rate for their crops.

Yingluck is not accused of corruption but of failing to prevent alleged graft within the programme, which cost billions of dollars and galvanised the protests that eventually felled her elected government leading to last May's coup.

Thailand's military-appointed parliament impeached Yingluck in January over the scheme, a move which banned her from politics for five years. But the criminal case could see her jailed for up to a decade, an outcome that could ruin any chance of an imminent political comeback if and when the military eventually hand back power.

Analysts say the trial is the latest move by Thailand's military rulers to neuter the Shinawatra clan since they seized power. "This trial is being brought in order to permanently remove Yingluck from the political scene," said Paul Chambers, director of research at the Institute of South East Asian Affairs in Chiang Mai. "But placing her behind bars -- a friendly, female ex-prime minister -- would make her look like a martyr," he told AFP.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai politics expert at Kyoto University in Japan, said convicting Yingluck risked enraging the Shinawatra's "Red Shirt" support base, who have largely remained quiescent since the coup. "Putting her in jail may unnecessarily resurrect the Red Shirts and force them to come out and fight against the NCPO," he said.


- Play nice Thaksin -

However Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Thai politics expert at Chulalongkorn University, believes the military intend to use the threat of Yingluck's prosecution as a way to keep the Shinawatra clan subdued, rather than push for an actual conviction.

"The criminal and other charges against her will be bogged down in red tape as long as she and other forces loyal to her brother Thaksin behave and play nice. If they agitate and mobilise against the coup, then the noose will tighten on her," he told AFP.

Yingluck herself has defended the controversial rice scheme as one which "lifted the quality of life for rice farmers" in the poor northeast of a country where subsidies to farmers have long been a cornerstone of Thai politics.

"As prime minister I was always honest and served the Thai people, who voted for my government. I have not done anything wrong at all," she wrote in a Facebook statement in February after the charges against her were first announced.

Thailand's Yingluck faces trial and political ruin

Is the main problem, there are so many, or were so many corrupt people in high positions, it be almost impossable to control in such a short time.

- Play nice Thaksin -

However Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a Thai politics expert at Chulalongkorn University, believes the military intend to use the threat of Yingluck's prosecution as a way to keep the Shinawatra clan subdued, rather than push for an actual conviction.

"The criminal and other charges against her will be bogged down in red tape as long as she and other forces loyal to her brother Thaksin behave and play nice. If they agitate and mobilise against the coup, then the noose will tighten on her," he told AFP.

That can't be right - otherwise it would suggest the legal system in Thailand is/will be/can be politically manipulated, and everyone knows that's not true, especially with the general in charge. He wouldn't let it happen otherwise he could be held accountable and later charged with dereliction of duty or malfeasance or allowing it to happen under his watch, or failing to prevent it or some such legal thing.

I suppose this sort of show trial is a bit more civilized than an ice pick in the head or exile to Siberia.

It seems but a short step to say that many socially-redistributive policies that consume tax revenues are negligent.

I wonder whether those who have violated sections 6 and 63 of the 1997 Constitution will ever face the music. Given that its abrogation was illegal, that still seems to me to be the law of the land.

Regardless of what entity is holding the reins at any given time, it's the same old story - the other guy [opposition] is corrupt.....but not us.

Whereas, the reality might suggest that they're all corrupt and hunger for the class status and power. The contemporary historical cycles are quite reflective of this - an endless cycle resembling a Thai soap opera of political rhetoric, skullduggery, scandals, high secrets and bullshittery.

Nothing will ever resolve itself in this country until certain mythical influences call it a day.

Yingluck Banned From Leaving Thailand During Graft Trial

BANGKOK — Thailand's Supreme Court has barred former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from traveling overseas during a corruption trial that could land her 10 years in prison.

Yingluck is facing ‘dereliction of duty’ charges in the Supreme Court's Division of Political Office Holders for allegedly failing to stop corruption in her government’s rice-subsidy program. She was retroactively impeached by the junta’s government on the same charge earlier this year.

According to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which filed the criminal lawsuit, her negligence cost the state more than 500 billion baht in damages.

Yingluck plead not guilty to the charges in court today and was granted bail after posting 30 million baht and agreeing not to travel overseas.

Speaking to reporters and a swarm of supporters outside the courthouse this morning, Yingluck insisted on her innocence.

"I am here today as scheduled by the court to fight my case in accordance with the justice system," she said. "I am confident in my innocence. I am willing to cooperate with the court. And please do not criticize or speculate on the case, because the case is now being deliberated by the court."

She is scheduled to submit a written testimony to the court on 3 July, and will return for another court session on 21 July.

Yingluck Banned From Leaving Thailand During Graft Trial

For a woman, and a very successful one at that, to be forced into a position that she had absolutely zero experience in and absolutely no desire to enter into even as late as 2012 she did her very best under extremely difficult circumstances.

I feel sorry for her and hope she can return to the life she only ever wanted to live and that as a business woman and mother.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

to be forced into a position .

And who exactly "forced" her into it? None other than her ever loving "brother", and only because he had pretty much run out of other family members to stand in his stead. The short and simple of it is that he was trying to set up a political dynasty - NOT -a political party - to protect his own greedy interests.

Sorry YL. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Originally Posted by misskit

Thailand's Supreme Court has barred former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from traveling overseas during a corruption trial that could land her 10 years in prison.

Believe she still has her passport. Think illegitimate governtments would learn from past oversights.

Or could it be they hope she does do a runner?

^^ Yep mate. His youngest sister, sent lamb to the slaughter and without conscience or personal liability.

How the man can sleep at night is beyond me!

^ Yup, and ^^Yup.

No one made her do anything, her choice to become the leader.

Be interesting to see if the Trial will be held behind closed doors, sure she has a lot of ammo on hand.

Thai ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra's negligence trial begins

Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has pleaded not guilty in a brief hearing at the start of her trial on charges of negligence.

She faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of dereliction of duty over her role in a controversial rice subsidy scheme.

She told crowds outside the court in Bangkok she would prove her innocence.

Ms Yingluck was forced to step down last year shortly before a military coup.

She maintains that the charges she faces are intended to keep her out of politics. The next hearing in the trial has been scheduled for 21 July.




Meanwhile her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra - himself ousted as prime minister by a previous coup in 2006 - has made a rare public appearance in Seoul, South Korea, saying he believed "democracy will prevail" in Thailand.

'Well-prepared'

Thailand's Constitutional Court forced Ms Yingluck from office in early May 2014 after finding her guilty of abusing her power. Weeks later, the military seized power saying it needed to restore order following months of street protests.

In January this year, Ms Yingluck was retroactively impeached by a military-appointed legislature for her role in the rice subsidy scheme. She was also banned from politics for five years.

The scheme paid rice farmers in rural areas - where her party has most of its support - twice the market rate for their crops, in a programme that cost the government billions of dollars.

Arriving at the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Ms Yingluck told journalists she was confident of her innocence.

"I prepared myself well today and am ready to defend myself," Reuters quoted her as saying. "I hope that I will be awarded justice."

A small group of her supporters outside the court chanted "Yingluck, fight, fight!" as she arrived, though political gatherings are illegal under Thailand's military rule.

Ms Yingluck says she was not involved in the scheme's day-to-day operations and has defended it as an attempt to support the rural poor.
Thai ex-PM Yingluck Shinawatra's negligence trial begins - BBC News

Which one has launched more falang semen . Ying yings or emma

Or is it a different demographic ?

She is a karaoke hostess for fcuks sake

Originally Posted by nidhogg

And who exactly "forced" her into it? None other than her ever loving "brother", and only because he had pretty much run out of other family members to stand in his stead. The short and simple of it is that he was trying to set up a political dynasty

I see the yellow brigade is here again. As let's mention Thaksin. You are so out of reality I fail to see reason to respond to your message. Give me some facts next time and perhaps we'll talk.

Those photos do her no justice.

Be good to find a pic of her in a Bikini, her younger day photos in her twenties were hmm nice.

J*untas only current friends in North Korea and Russia are missing a beat... you are either with the free world, or... (what I would say would be deleted)

They can jail her or execute her if they are plain mad, but she will never be forgotten, By the world - the sanctions just become harder and harder and we already know of this minor issue Japanese factories are leaving

Times are sad now, for the country as a whole, but...

Freedom and democracy will prevail