The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will launch a full inquiry into caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's role in the rice-pledging scheme, commissioner Vicha Mahakhun announced on Thursday.
Rice farmers in Ayutthaya’s Bang Sai district show documents listing those still waiting for moneyowed to them under the government’s ricepledging scheme. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)
The premier faces criminal charges if the investigation finds she was negligent in her duties as chairwoman of the National Rice Policy Committee, which oversees the scheme. She would also be required to step down from all official roles.
The premier declined to comment when asked about the probe.
An NACC inquiry panel on Thursday also decided to bring formal corruption charges against 15 people involved in government-to-government (G-to-G) rice deals.
The suspects include former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and former deputy commerce minister Poom Sarapol.
Rejecting suggestions the NACC had sped up the case against Ms Yingluck in a bid to break the current political deadlock, Mr Vicha insisted the decision was based on the recommendation of a panel investigating claims of rampant corruption in the rice scheme.
Mr Vicha said the NACC agreed the case against Ms Yingluck, which concerns a government policy issue, will be separated from the G-to-G graft case.
He said the inquiry panel has grounds to believe Ms Yingluck may have learned about problems besetting the rice scheme, but failed to act to stop them.
The NACC has assigned the same panel to launch the full investigation.
If the panel finds there is enough evidence, Ms Yingluck would face charges of violating Section 157 of the Criminal Code for dereliction of duty, Mr Vicha said.
An NACC source said it will take the inquiry panel about a week to conclude its findings and decide whether to bring charges against Ms Yingluck.
If she is charged, the premier will be given an opportunity to defend herself before the panel forwards the case to the main NACC panel, which would then decide whether to indict her.
The whole process is likely to take about a month.
The 15 suspects to be charged in connection with the G-to-G deals include former director-general of the External Trade Department Manas Sroypol, who was involved in negotiations to sell rice to two Chinese state enterprises.
The NACC has found no evidence that the two firms - Guangdong Stationery & Sporting Goods Import & Export Corp and Hainan Grain & Oil Industrial Trading Co - were authorised by the Chinese government to purchase the rice.
It also found no evidence that the rice had been exported to China.
Mr Boonsong said the NACC's ruling against him was unfair because it had not given him the chance to defend himself against the allegation.
The rice-pledging scheme is a key policy of the Pheu Thai Party, but has drawn sharp criticism for swelling public debt.
The scheme is facing further trouble amid lengthy delays in payments to farmers following the recent House dissolution. Election rules bar the caretaker government from any borrowing that could add to the next government's financial burden.
Meanwhile, central agricultural committee chairman Ubolsak Bualuangngam, who also leads the Lop Buri Farmers Assembly, threatened to take legal action against the caretaker government if it is unable to continue paying farmers for their pledged rice.
"If it can't pay, we will gather signatures of farmers from across the country so we can sue it for cheating us," Mr Ubolsak said.
He accused the caretaker government of cheating farmers into participating in the scheme despite lacking the money to pay them.
Mr Ubolsak said the government cannot dodge its responsibility, and must urgently seek cash to distribute to the unpaid farmers.
He also demanded the caretaker government pay the interest on any farming loans that farmers have accrued over the past few months.
Suphan Buri agricultural committee chairman Prom Boonmachuay backed Mr Ubolsak's demands and will today lead farmers from his province to seek legal help from the Lawyers Council of Thailand.
"Many farmers ask me every day when they will receive the money from the government, as they need it to pay for their daily costs of living," Mr Prom said.
He said in Suphan Buri alone the caretaker government owes about 2.1 billion baht to farmers.
"I'm worried about farmers who will mortgage their rice under this October 2013-February crop, as the government is now in financial trouble," he said.
Mr Prom set Jan 25 as the deadline for the caretaker government to pay the money owed to farmers, or he will lead farmers from the Central Plains and the West to block sections of the Asian Highway and the Nonthaburi-Suphan Buri road.