Pheu Thai slams regime over Yingluck fine

Pheu Thai slams regime over Yingluck fine

Acting Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai (right) slams the junta for 'undermining rule of law' with its huge rice bill to ex-premier Yingluck. (Photo via Twitter/chayika)
Acting Pheu Thai leader Phumtham Wechayachai (right) slams the junta for 'undermining rule of law' with its huge rice bill to ex-premier Yingluck. (Photo via Twitter/chayika)

The Pheu Thai Party on Monday lambasted the regime for undermining the rule of law after it opted to issue an administrative order requiring ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 35.7 billion baht in compensation over her alleged malfeasance in the rice-pledging scheme.

Phumtham Wechayachai, the party's acting secretary-general, said the order was not justified and the move was carried out in a rush despite some legal disputes.

According to Mr Phumtham, it was still unclear if Ms Yingluck could be held accountable under the civil liability law. He said the law was introduced to protect state officials against liability unless they were found to have deliberately violated the laws or to be in gross negligence of duty.

He said the rice-pledging scheme was the Yingluck administration's flagship policy outlined before the House of Representatives under the charter.

"Do you consider the implementation of the policy in line with the charter as an act of liability? There have been several other public policies that required massive funding and damaged fiscal discipline, but no prime minister has been held responsible."

Mr Phumtham said he sympathised with Ms Yingluck. Her government was given a mandate to run the country and was determined to help rice farmers.

Not only was she retroactively removed from office and the 2007 charter abolished, but several cases were being expedited in attempts to disqualify her from standing again so she can not seek election.

He said the actions against Ms Yingluck indicated selective use of laws, undermined the rule of law and destroyed democracy.

Also  on Monday, Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) secretary-general Prayong Preeyajit said the number of alleged corruption and malfeasance cases connected to the rice-pledging scheme has increased from 853 to 986.

Of these cases, the PACC had ordered an inquiry into 125 cases which were expected to be completed in six months, he said.

Mr Prayong insisted the PACC was independent from the government while assuring it could handle the inquiries with efficiency despite a tight schedule and a small number of staff.

The investigation aims to identify others responsible for the remaining losses under the rice-pledging scheme.

The 35.7 billion baht sought from Ms Yingluck accounts for 20% of incurred losses from 2012-2014.

She has 90 days to challenge the order signed by Deputy Finance Minister Wisudhi Srisuphan and finance permanent secretary Somchai Sujjapongse.

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