Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrived at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Monday for the first hearing and examination of the lists of evidence and witnesses in the rice-pledging case against her.
Ms Yingluck has been charged with with dereliction of duty and abuse of authority in failing to stop graft and losses in the rice-pledging scheme implemented by her government.
The former prime minister arrived at the court at 8am. She was greeted by a large number of supporters there to give her moral support. They handed her bunches of flowers while chanting the word "fight, fight."
Many leading members of the Pheu Thai Party and former MPs were also present at the court. They included Pol Lt Gen Viroj Pao-in, the acting Pheu Thai leader, Phumtham Vechayachai, the acting secretary-general, Chusak Sirinil, chief of the party's legal staff, Varathep Rattanakorn, Worawat Eua-apinyakul, Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisal, Nattawut Saikuar and Worachai Hema.
Ms Yingluck said she had submitted to the court lists of documents and about 70 witnesses for court examination.
She said three days earlier she had petitioned against the prosecution's having filed about 60,000 more pages of documents and 23 more witnesses for examination in addition to the earlier ones. Ms Yingluck said this could put her at a disadvantage as she had never seen them before.