The Central Administrative Court has accepted a lawsuit filed by former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to revoke the administrative order demanding that she pay 35.7 billion baht for damages incurred by the rice-pledging programme during her administration.
The lawsuit is the natural first step the former prime minister had to take to delay the execution of the military government's order, which requires her to pay the amount within 30 days after receiving it or the Legal Execution Department will start liquidating her assets.
The court on Friday ordered a special panel set up to handle her case, led by its president. It has seven judges in total, compared with four in most cases.
Ms Yingluck filed the suit against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and three other officials on Dec 26.
The first examination is scheduled for Thursday, when the court determines whether to grant an injunction as a relief measure pending a ruling. That would suspend Order No.1351/2559 dated Oct 13, 2016 demanding Ms Yingluck pay 35.7 billion baht in damages.
Earlier, two ministers in Ms Yingluck's government -- former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and his deputy, Poom Sarapol -- filed a similar suit with the court. A panel of judges on Dec 28 examined the facts to determine whether there were grounds for an injunction but has yet to issue an order.
Mr Boonsong and Mr Poom are facing Commerce Ministry orders to pay 1.7 billion and 2.3 billion baht respectively for the damage from government-to-government rice sales, some of which were said to be fake.
If the court approves the injunctions in both cases, the asset seizures will be put on hold pending the outcome of the court rulings, which may take several years, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said earlier.
Apart from facing administrative liabilities, Ms Yingluck is on trial in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders for dereliction of duty in connection with the rice programme. She could face 10 years in jail and a ban from politics if found guilty.
Witness testimony in the case is scheduled to continue until July with a ruling sometime later this year.
