The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions has set Jan 15 for the first examination of prosecution witnesses in the trial of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra for negligence in administering her government's rice-pledging scheme.
Ms Yingluck has been charged with dereliction of duty causing damage, under Section 157 of the Criminal Code, and failure to perform her duty as a state official, under the Anti-Corruption Act of 1999, to stop corruption in the rice-pledging scheme.
The scheme has reported losses totalling more than 500 billion baht.
Ms Yingluck and state prosecutors were at the court on Thursday for the examining of lists of witnesses and evidence to be present during the trial. The court was also to determine today how many witnesses each side can call.
Before the process started, the two sides were informed that Cheep Chulamon, deputy president of the Supreme Court, had been selected by a panel of judges to handle the case, taking over from Veerapol Tangsuwan, who has been appointed the court president.
After examining the lists of witnesses, the court decided to allow 14 prosecution witnesses, down from 17 on the list, to testify.
There will be five examinations of prosecution witnesses, the first being set for Jan 15. The four other hearings have been scheduled for Feb 17, Feb 26, March 4 and March 23.
The court will decide later whether the three other prosecution witnesses on the list -- Banyong Inna, Saweena Polphuet and Siraya Kanpithaya -- will testify.
The court allowed 42 of the 43 defence witnesses on the list.
The defence witnesses will testify in 16 hearings which have been scheduled for April 1, April 22, May 13, May 18, June 17, June 24, July 8, July 22, Aug 5, Aug 19, Sept 9, Sept 23, Oct 7, Oct 21, Nov 4 and Nov 18, 2016.
The coulrt will decide later if the other witness on the list, Sodsri Sattayatham, would be called to testify.
Defence lawyer Norawit Lalaeng said that important defence witnesses include Ms Yingluck, Kittiratt Na Ranong, Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisal, Olarn Chaiprawat, Yanyong Puangraj and Chai Wacharong.
Ms Yingluck was greeted on arriving at the court by a large number of supporters, including key members of her former government.
Asked about reports many people would wear red on Nov 1 to give her moral support, Ms Yingluck thanked them but said she would rather they heed the National Council for Peace and Order's orders, for the sake of peace and reconciliation.