Latest news with #Yingluck
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Thailand's Ex-Prime Minister Yingluck Ordered to Pay for Losses from a Rice Subsidy Program
AP file photo Former Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra talks to reporters as she arrives at the Supreme Court for last day of the hearing in Bangkok, Thailand, July 21, 2017. BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court on Thursday ordered exiled former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay more than 10 billion baht ($304 million) to compensate for losses incurred by a money-losing rice farming subsidy program that her administration had implemented more than a decade ago. The Supreme Administrative Court partially reversed a 2021 court ruling that cleared her. It found her guilty of severe negligence in relation to rice sales to other countries and said she failed to act on many government agencies' warnings of possible corruption. She was ordered to pay half of the damages estimated at more than 20 billion baht ($608 million). The court annulled a 2016 order by the Finance Ministry for her to pay 35.7 billion baht ($1.1 billion) in compensation, saying Yingluck was not proven directly responsible for the alleged corruption. The rice subsidy program was a flagship policy that helped Yingluck's Pheu Thai Party win the 2011 general election. Under the program, the government paid farmers about 50% more than they would have received on the global market, with the intention of driving up prices by warehousing the grain. But other rice-producing countries captured the international rice market by selling at competitive prices. Thailand as a result lost its position as the world's leading rice exporter and large amounts of rice sat unsold in government warehouses. After the ruling, Yingluck posted on her Facebook page that she had no intention to cause damages and was being held responsible 'for a debt I did not cause.' Her lawyer Norrawit Larlaeng said her legal team plans to request a retrial. He said that the government had already sold the leftover rice from the subsidy program for around 200 billion baht ($6.08 billion), which covers all damages estimated by the Finance Ministry. Yingluck, the first female prime minister of Thailand, came to power in 2011, five years after her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled in a coup and fled abroad. Yingluck also was forced out by a military coup in 2014, and fled the country in 2017, ahead of a court verdict. She's been living in exile since then. Thaksin, a highly popular but divisive political figure, returned home in 2023 before being granted clemency in a corruption trial because of his age and health. Thailand's current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is Thaksin's daughter. Last year, Yingluck was cleared by a court on unrelated charges of mishandling funds for a government project in 2013. In December 2023, the court also cleared her of abuse of power in connection with a personnel transfer she had overseen.
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Thai Ex-PM Yingluck Ordered To Pay $305 Million In Damages Over Rice Scheme
Bangkok: A Thai court on Thursday ordered self-exiled former premier Mrs. Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 10 billion baht ($305 million) in damages over a botched rice pledging scheme that saw her sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for negligence. Mrs. Yingluck, one of four members of the billionaire Shinawatra family to have served as prime minister, has been living overseas to avoid jail for failing to prevent corruption in the rice scheme, which paid farmers up to 50% above market prices and caused massive losses to the state. The programme, a flagship policy of her populist Pheu Thai party, cost the state billions of dollars and led to millions of tons of rice going unsold. Thailand is the world's second-largest rice exporter. Thursday's ruling was on Yingluck's appeal against a previous order to pay 35 billion baht ($1.07 billion) in damages to the finance ministry. "The accused performed duties with gross negligence that caused damage to the state and therefore must pay compensation," the Supreme Administrative Court said, adding the previous order exceeded the legal threshold of her responsibility and was unlawful. Mrs. Yingluck, 57, came to power in 2011 after a landslide election victory and resigned just days before her government was ousted in a coup in 2014. She is the aunt of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and younger sister of former premier and political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra. Thursday's verdict comes less than two years after her family's Pheu Thai party returned to power after a decade in the political wilderness, coinciding with influential brother Thaksin coming home after 15 years in self-exile to avoid jail. The Shinawatras have consistently denied wrongdoing and have long maintained they have been victims of political vendettas by powerful figures in the conservative establishment and royalist military. Yingluck on Thursday said the order to pay 10 billion baht was excessive. "Even if I repaid it my entire life, it would never be enough," she said on social media. "I will continue to demand and fight for justice." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The Star
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Thursday (May 22, 2025)
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over RM11.3mil loan fraud * MACC to scrutinise report and documents submitted on MyKiosk 2.0 project * Housewife loses hundreds of thousands in online investment scam * FRU Crash: Four personnel in stable condition * Perhilitan expects elephant sanctuary in Gerik to be operational by 2030 * Police detain woman linked to acid attack in Bachok Singapore * News Analysis - Singapore's new crop of office-holders largest since 2001, reshuffle provides for minority succession in Cabinet * Jail for man in Singapore who used bogus wine investment scheme to pocket S$12.67mil of investors' funds * China woman in Singapore who duped firm into delivering metal sheets worth nearly S$7mil gets 9½ years' jail * Six men in Singapore to be charged over child sexual exploitation offences, including commercial sex with a minor * Man in Singapore who sexually assaulted stepdaughter despite wife's warning gets jail, caning * Beijing slams video posted by US embassy in Singapore about South China Sea * Missing for two years, wife of former Singapore basketball coach confirmed dead in Japan * Making stylish 'cat cottages' a labour of love for Singapore woman * Singapore keeps 2025 growth forecast at 0% to 2%, though outlook 'improved slightly' from trade truces * No sharp turns in Singapore PM's first post-election Cabinet, but leadership shifts afoot: Analysts * Lady Gaga spices things up at food centre * Wong sticks with 'experienced hands' Indonesia * Clashes erupt during tuition fee protest at Papua university in Indonesia * Convicted Indonesian military general set to get key finance ministry post * Police arrest six members of viral incest-promoting Facebook group * Indonesia set for more rate cuts on growth view: Analysts Thailand * Thai ex-PM Yingluck ordered to pay US$305mil in damages over rice scheme * Yingluck's lawyers push for retrial in rice pledging case fight * Yingluck speaks out after court orders over US$305mil compensation * Malaysia and Thailand to enhance power 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The Advertiser
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Thai ex-PM Yingluck told to pay $474m over rice scheme
A Thai court on Thursday ordered self-exiled former premier Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 10 billion baht ($A474 million) in damages over a botched rice-pledging scheme that saw her sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for negligence. Yingluck, one of four members of the billionaire Shinawatra family to have served as prime minister, has been living overseas to avoid jail for failing to prevent corruption in the rice scheme, which paid farmers up to 50 per cent above market prices and caused massive losses to the state. The program, a flagship policy of her populist Pheu Thai party, cost the state billions of dollars and led to millions of tons of rice going unsold. Thailand is the world's second-largest rice exporter. Thursday's ruling was on Yingluck's appeal against a previous order to pay 35 billion baht in damages to the finance ministry. "The accused performed duties with gross negligence that caused damage to the state and therefore must pay compensation," the Supreme Administrative Court said, adding the previous order exceeded the legal threshold of her responsibility and was unlawful. Yingluck, 57, came to power in 2011 after a landslide election victory and resigned just days before her government was ousted in a coup in 2014. She is the aunt of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and younger sister of former premier and political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra. Thursday's verdict comes less than two years after her family's Pheu Thai party returned to power after a decade in the political wilderness, coinciding with influential brother Thaksin coming home after 15 years in self-exile to avoid jail. The Shinawatras have consistently denied wrongdoing and have long maintained they have been victims of political vendettas by powerful figures in the conservative establishment and royalist military. Yingluck on Thursday said the order to pay 10 billion baht was excessive. "Even if I repaid it my entire life, it would never be enough," she said on social media. "I will continue to demand and fight for justice." A Thai court on Thursday ordered self-exiled former premier Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 10 billion baht ($A474 million) in damages over a botched rice-pledging scheme that saw her sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for negligence. Yingluck, one of four members of the billionaire Shinawatra family to have served as prime minister, has been living overseas to avoid jail for failing to prevent corruption in the rice scheme, which paid farmers up to 50 per cent above market prices and caused massive losses to the state. The program, a flagship policy of her populist Pheu Thai party, cost the state billions of dollars and led to millions of tons of rice going unsold. Thailand is the world's second-largest rice exporter. Thursday's ruling was on Yingluck's appeal against a previous order to pay 35 billion baht in damages to the finance ministry. "The accused performed duties with gross negligence that caused damage to the state and therefore must pay compensation," the Supreme Administrative Court said, adding the previous order exceeded the legal threshold of her responsibility and was unlawful. Yingluck, 57, came to power in 2011 after a landslide election victory and resigned just days before her government was ousted in a coup in 2014. She is the aunt of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and younger sister of former premier and political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra. Thursday's verdict comes less than two years after her family's Pheu Thai party returned to power after a decade in the political wilderness, coinciding with influential brother Thaksin coming home after 15 years in self-exile to avoid jail. The Shinawatras have consistently denied wrongdoing and have long maintained they have been victims of political vendettas by powerful figures in the conservative establishment and royalist military. Yingluck on Thursday said the order to pay 10 billion baht was excessive. "Even if I repaid it my entire life, it would never be enough," she said on social media. "I will continue to demand and fight for justice." A Thai court on Thursday ordered self-exiled former premier Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 10 billion baht ($A474 million) in damages over a botched rice-pledging scheme that saw her sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for negligence. Yingluck, one of four members of the billionaire Shinawatra family to have served as prime minister, has been living overseas to avoid jail for failing to prevent corruption in the rice scheme, which paid farmers up to 50 per cent above market prices and caused massive losses to the state. The program, a flagship policy of her populist Pheu Thai party, cost the state billions of dollars and led to millions of tons of rice going unsold. Thailand is the world's second-largest rice exporter. Thursday's ruling was on Yingluck's appeal against a previous order to pay 35 billion baht in damages to the finance ministry. "The accused performed duties with gross negligence that caused damage to the state and therefore must pay compensation," the Supreme Administrative Court said, adding the previous order exceeded the legal threshold of her responsibility and was unlawful. Yingluck, 57, came to power in 2011 after a landslide election victory and resigned just days before her government was ousted in a coup in 2014. She is the aunt of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and younger sister of former premier and political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra. Thursday's verdict comes less than two years after her family's Pheu Thai party returned to power after a decade in the political wilderness, coinciding with influential brother Thaksin coming home after 15 years in self-exile to avoid jail. The Shinawatras have consistently denied wrongdoing and have long maintained they have been victims of political vendettas by powerful figures in the conservative establishment and royalist military. Yingluck on Thursday said the order to pay 10 billion baht was excessive. "Even if I repaid it my entire life, it would never be enough," she said on social media. "I will continue to demand and fight for justice." A Thai court on Thursday ordered self-exiled former premier Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 10 billion baht ($A474 million) in damages over a botched rice-pledging scheme that saw her sentenced in 2017 to five years in prison for negligence. Yingluck, one of four members of the billionaire Shinawatra family to have served as prime minister, has been living overseas to avoid jail for failing to prevent corruption in the rice scheme, which paid farmers up to 50 per cent above market prices and caused massive losses to the state. The program, a flagship policy of her populist Pheu Thai party, cost the state billions of dollars and led to millions of tons of rice going unsold. Thailand is the world's second-largest rice exporter. Thursday's ruling was on Yingluck's appeal against a previous order to pay 35 billion baht in damages to the finance ministry. "The accused performed duties with gross negligence that caused damage to the state and therefore must pay compensation," the Supreme Administrative Court said, adding the previous order exceeded the legal threshold of her responsibility and was unlawful. Yingluck, 57, came to power in 2011 after a landslide election victory and resigned just days before her government was ousted in a coup in 2014. She is the aunt of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and younger sister of former premier and political heavyweight Thaksin Shinawatra. Thursday's verdict comes less than two years after her family's Pheu Thai party returned to power after a decade in the political wilderness, coinciding with influential brother Thaksin coming home after 15 years in self-exile to avoid jail. The Shinawatras have consistently denied wrongdoing and have long maintained they have been victims of political vendettas by powerful figures in the conservative establishment and royalist military. Yingluck on Thursday said the order to pay 10 billion baht was excessive. "Even if I repaid it my entire life, it would never be enough," she said on social media. "I will continue to demand and fight for justice."
The Star
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Yingluck's lawyers push for retrial in rice pledging case fight
BANGKOK: Yingluck's legal team refuses to give up! They submit new evidence, requesting the court to reopen the rice pledging case, citing over US$305mil (100 billion baht) in rice sales after the Supreme Administrative Court ordered the former PM to pay 10 billion baht compensation. Norawit Lalang, lawyer appointed by former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, spoke after the Supreme Administrative Court amended its ruling, ordering Yingluck to pay US$305mil (10.03 billion baht) in damages related to the government-to-government (G2G) rice sales scheme. Norawit explained that the Supreme Administrative Court's verdict shares some similarities with the lower court's decision. Both rulings reference the Ministry of Finance's Order No. 1351/59, which held Yingluck responsible for losses in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 rice pledging schemes totalling over 178 billion baht. Under that order, Yingluck's liability was set at 20%, approximately 35 billion baht. Both courts agreed that Yingluck was not liable for this amount, as it was based on total losses from both programmes. However, the key difference in the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling is that Yingluck was held liable specifically for corruption during the G2G rice sales stage. Norawit pointed out that the rice sales phase fell under the operational side, managed by the Rice Sales Subcommittee, chaired at the time by the Minister of Commerce. Despite this, the court assigned Yingluck responsibility for over 10 billion baht in damages related to this stage. - Photo: The Nation file Norawit recalled that at the time of the May 22, 2014 coup, there were approximately 18.9 million tons of rice remaining in government warehouses. According to the Ministry of Finance's order, if the government managed to sell this rice at prices higher than the valuation used to close the rice pledging accounts, the proceeds could offset Yingluck's liability. 'Currently, this rice has all been sold under the current government at about 25 baht per kilogramme. The sales revenue is estimated at around 250 billion baht. When offset against the 10 billion baht liability, Yingluck might not have to pay anything at all,' Norawit said. He added that this rice sale constitutes new evidence. 'We have tried to submit this in the case, but since fact-finding had concluded, the court did not accept it. However, it is new evidence, and our legal team will discuss whether to file a retrial request. We will pursue this to the fullest to seek justice for the former Prime Minister,' Norawit said. Norawit also noted that a retrial request must be filed within 90 days under Section 75 of the Administrative Procedure Act. If the court refuses to reopen the case, the matter will be final, but 'we will do our best to fight for justice.' He has not yet reported this development to Yingluck. He acknowledged that between 2015 and 2019, some good-quality rice was downgraded and sold as spoiled rice, fetching only 3-5 baht per kilogramme, much lower than the 18 baht per kilogramme achieved under Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, which generated about 10 billion baht. Overall, more than 200 billion baht worth of rice has been sold. When asked about allegations that the Ministry of Commerce under the current government sold rice to cover Yingluck Shinawatra's debts, Norawit responded,"We must ask who the buyers were. They were private entities. No one would invest money just to cover debts, using ordinary logic." Regarding the total value of assets seized, Norawit said most assets had already been sold, and he could not recall the exact value. He noted that the Supreme Administrative Court annulled the Ministry of Finance's order for amounts exceeding 10 billion baht. On the assets protected as joint property with Yingluck's husband, Norawit explained,"Almost all items acquired after November 1995 are protected. The court ruled these are jointly owned properties." When asked how much Yingluck might recover after debt offsets, Norawit said,"Some seized assets remain, some have been sold. Any excess must be returned, but the exact amount and timeline are unknown. Enforcement procedures must be followed. The Ministry of Finance is the lead agency, and the Department of Legal Execution handles the seizures, under orders from then-Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. We will review details before deciding whether to petition the Ministry or the Department." On whether the court ruling affects Yingluck's potential return to Thailand, Norawit said,"I do not know if it affects her return or when she might come back. I also do not know where she currently resides. This civil case has no bearing on that." When asked if Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, has been informed, Norawit replied,"He probably knows from the news. I have not personally discussed this with him." - The Nation/ANN
