Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra turned 50 on Wednesday, and took the opportunity to call for sympathy and fairness from the courts in her fight against charges arising from her rice subsidy scheme.
She is defending herself in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions against a charge of dereliction of duty in the loss-ridden scheme. Ms Yingluck was chair of the National Rice Policy Committee when she was in power.
She faces a possible prison term of up to 10 years and being banned from politics if found guilty.
Ms Yingluck could also be required to pay more than 35 billion baht in compensation, or roughly 20% of the losses estimated at 178 billion baht determined by a panel set up to investigate the scheme after the Pheu Thai Party-led government was ousted by the coup in 2014.
Ms Yingluck made known her wishes after making merit for her birthday at Wat Saket and then walked up the Golden Mountain to pay respect to a Buddha statue there.
Her elder brother and former prime minister Thaksin, still in self-exile overseas, sent her a big bouquet of flowers for her birthday, as shown on her Facebook account.
Ms Yingluck could not hold back tears as she admitted this year could be the most difficult of her life. Regardless, she vowed to stay strong and overcome all obstacles.
