Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has requested that the National Anti-Corruption Commission allow her to delay reporting to hear charges in connection with her administration’s awarding of compensation to victims of political violence.
Ms Yingluck had been expected to appear before the NACC on Tuesday. She and other former ministers in her cabinet were invited to hear the charges personally, or be represented by their lawyers, between June 9 and June 30.
The former prime minister instead sent her lawyer, Boonchaliew Dussadee, to submit a request on her behalf, seeking the deferment of her reporting requirement to another date.
The lawyer declined to give details when asked by reporters, saying he was only a messenger.
The other former ministers required to report to the NACC include former deputy prime minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, former deputy prime minister and finance minister Kittiratt Na Ranong, former PM's Office minister Worawat Eua-apinyakul, former deputy prime minister Chalerm Yubamrung and former PM's Office minister Nalinee Taweesin.
The NACC found that the compensation of up to 7.5 million baht paid to the families of each victim who died or were wounded between 2005-10, approved by the Yingluck cabinet, was not lawful.
Critics of the payouts said Ms Yingluck's government took action for the red-shirts, her supporters, since they were the largest beneficiary group. They also claimed the approval was not backed by any law.
The Yingluck government argued the move was a step toward reconcilation and that the decision was based on a recommendation of the reconcilation committee set up earlier.
The victims include people, officials and members of the press.
The incidents are:
- Protests by the yellow-shirts (People's Alliance for Democracy) to unseat former PM Thaksin Shinawatra in late 2005
- Military coup on Sept 19, 2006
- Anti-coup protests by the red-shirts (then called the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship)
- Yellow-shirt protests to unseat former PM Samak Sundaravej
- Yellow-shirt protests to unseat former PM Somchai Wongsawat
- Red-shirt protests in May 2009
- Red-shirt protests in April-May 2010 (91 dead)
The government later approved the same amount to the families of each of the victims of the southern violence in the following incidents:
- Krue Se Mosque massacre on April 28, 2004 (32 dead)
- Tak Bai tragedy on Oct 25, 2004 (85 dead) and Ai Pa Yae Mosque killings on June 8, 2009 (10 dead)
- Disapperances
- Other incidents