China News Agency, Bangkok, April 3, according to Thai media reports on the 3rd, the Central Administrative Court of Thailand on the 2nd issued a verdict in the first instance of the Ministry of Finance’s claim against former prime minister Yingluck’s 35 billion baht (approximately 7.38 billion yuan). The Ministry’s administrative compensation order was illegal and ordered the cancellation of the compensation order.
The Ministry of Finance of Thailand issued an order on October 13, 2016, claiming that Yingluck had dereliction of duty in the rice purchase project during his tenure as prime minister, and caused heavy losses to the government, demanding Yingluck to compensate 35 billion baht.
Yingluck subsequently filed a lawsuit with the Central Administrative Court, requesting a ruling to revoke the order.
The first-instance judgment of the Administrative Court pointed out that the operators of the rice purchase project were officials of relevant government departments. As the prime minister, Yingluck had no evidence that he participated in signing contracts for rice purchase or pledge, and there was even no evidence that Yingluck had inquired about or understood these contracts. Therefore, the compensation order of the Ministry of Finance is illegal and shall be revoked.
Prior to this, the Central Administrative Court of Thailand has ruled that the then Minister of Commerce and Assistant Minister of the Yingluck Government involved in the case must pay nearly 15 billion baht to the Ministry of Finance for losses.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu said that the Thai government has the right to continue to appeal the ruling made by the court on the 2nd.
Yingluck’s lawyer said that if the Ministry of Finance filed an appeal, he would be prepared to respond.
Yingluck’s previously frozen personal property was about 200 million baht, including personal deposits and real estate. Some of the properties have been auctioned, and the team of lawyers will apply to claim back these frozen properties.
The rice acquisition project was a policy that Yingluck launched after taking office in 2011 to benefit farmers. However, the policy was later approved and caused the government to suffer huge losses and breed a lot of corruption. Yingluck was charged with malfeasance after stepping down. Has always denied all allegations.
Yingluck left Thailand in August 2017 and has not returned.
On September 27, 2017, the Supreme Court of Thailand ruled that Yingluck constituted a crime of malfeasance in the “rice abuse case” and sentenced Yingluck to 5 years in prison in absentia.
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