Four former ministers have turned to YouTube to answer questions about the controversial rice-pledging scheme, a day after the National Legislative Assembly denied them the chance to speak.
Their answers were given on behalf of former premier Yingluck Shinawatra, who failed to appear before impeachment proceedings on Friday.
The NLA decided to put questions to Ms Yingluck in absentia and said her representatives could not answer for her.
The four former ministers have since uploaded answers they had prepared for the NLA session to YouTube. They countered aspects of the impeachment allegations levelled against Ms Yingluck.
Former deputy prime minister and commerce minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan gave answers to questions about corruption, former finance minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong spoke about finances and economics, and former deputy commerce minister Yanyong Phuangrach gave answers on the methodology of the rice-pledging scheme.
Former agriculture minister Varathep Rattanakorn, meanwhile, answered questions about the scheme's political implications.
In the YouTube response, Mr Niwattumrong said the Yingluck government set up committees to check the rice scheme at every stage to ensure transparency and prevent corruption.
He admitted that the National Anti-Corruption Commission had warned the government about possible irregularities in the scheme. He said the government launched several measures to deal with them.
He said the last warning from the Office of Auditor-General about the damages from the scheme came after the House dissolution.
The NLA is seeking the impeachment of Ms Yingluck for allegedly turning a blind eye to irregularities in the scheme, which operated at a massive loss.
She chaired the National Rice Policy Committee when she was premier and has claimed the scheme was beneficial to farmers. If impeached, she faces the prospect of being banned from politics for five years.
Ms Yingluck recently appeared at the NLA and gave an opening statement in the impeachment proceedings. But she missed the question session on Friday and sent former cabinet ministers connected to the rice scheme to explain on her behalf.
Kittisak Rattanawaraha, head of the NLA panel responsible for questioning Ms Yingluck, said yesterday it was a matter of principle that anyone giving opening statements must also turn up to reply to questions in a subsequent session. Ms Yingluck’s side was well aware of this, he said.
By not turning up on Friday, Ms Yingluck apparently did not treat the NLA members who intended to question her with dignity.
Mr Kittisak dismissed Ms Yingluck’s lawyers’ argument that the NLA meeting regulations allowed a representative to mount a defence.
He said the NLA has been fair to Ms Yingluck but she failed to appear even though the NLA waited until 6pm.