Yingluck Shinawatra and jail time

[sabang]

So it seems that not enough evidence was available for a prosecution.

I'm pretty sure that is the problem. This case is, to say the least, quite internationally visible, and it would be very embarassing for Thailand to play another "judicial" sleight of hand and find her guilty as charged of corruption (umm, by which we really mean incompetence). As best one can with Thai media, I've been following these rice scheme inspections from a distance- and absolutely no evidence of a PT 'corruption conspiracy' is yet forthcoming, rather individual instances of theft and incompetence that, prima facie, carry no particular correlation with PT at a party level. To get to the top level, they have to provide credible evidence of such a link. Even the kangaroo court that convicted khun Thaksin after the last coup at least had a 'specific instance' to hang their judgement on.

Would have been much better for the powers if Yingluck had done a runner. A quick guilty as charged.

Absolutely (and they did everything but beg). Little poo is a brave gal- or foolhardy.

[S Landreth]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nac...k-water-tight/

any particular reason why you omitted the headline ?

Attorney General declines to prosecute Yingluck - for now

priorities

either try to go back and edit (correct) my hurried post by adding the articles headline. (can I even edit here with the little post count that I have?)

or
run out between rain showers to give a handful of patient neighborhood pups their scheduled afternoon snack (grilled chicken neck)

you now know my priorities (pups over posts)

So what will be the result? Doubt any jail time is going to happen. A guilty verdict with punishment being a fine and banishment from participation in politics would be my guess.

It might come to that, but I still think they might give her a few years as a going away gift.

You should make yourself a little advent calender to help with the countdown.

It's full.

I'll be in NY city for the entire month of October (when they might reach a decision) and S. Florida for the first two weeks of November (to vote for a couple of guys who get it). I would hope you or someone else will pick up the slack while I'm away. I'll still be on the net, but you'll have the advantage of time on your side (I'll be sleeping). Maybe you can post updates quicker than I?

[Thormaturge]

The plan to convict Yingluck in absentia has backfired.

Looks as though the NACC will have to do a better job before the OAG is comfortable with the case.

I wonder how many years this will drag on.

[sabang]

Says the-

National Anti-Corruption Commission

Right up their with the wit and wisdom of the Constitutional Court, or an unbiased commentary from the PDRC.

Ms Yingluck had the power to stop the rice pledging scheme

And that, in evidentiary terms, is straight from the annals of monty python. They require EVIDENCE to get a conviction that will stand in Law. Evidence of criminal conspiracy, if they are to get at the top echelons. The fact they may deplore the policy requires no evidence to back it up, and certain chancers and grunts have already been jailed when caught out, more to come presumably- but no particular link to the PT party machine yet established.

Incidentally, how are the NACC's cautious and thorough investigations proceeding with regards to the several official complaints lodged with them regarding the Democrat rice pledging scheme? They of course carry legal precedence over the PT complaints, having been lodged a couple of years earlier.

More curiously, why do you apparently have such a visceral hatred for all things Thaksin/poo/PT etc landie? Your normal objectivity and coolheadedness appear to be suspended in these matters.

[Mid]

The criminal case regarding the rice pledging scheme against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is water tight and that the National Anti-Corruption Commission prepared the case properly, said NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak Thursday night.

However, he said it was not unusual that the Office of the Attorney-General thought otherwise and declined to indict Ms Yingluck unless the NACC came up with more evidences to support its charges against her.


This would be an appropiate place for TIT .

[Mid]

Yingluck evades rice rap
King-Oua Laohong & Aekarach Sattaburuth
5/09/2014

Public prosecutors refused on Thursday to accept a recommendation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to indict ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra for dereliction of duty in failing to deal with corruption and losses in the rice-pledging scheme.

Instead, the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) called for a joint panel with the NACC to re-investigate the case, saying there was not yet enough evidence to take the former prime minister to court.

OAG spokesman Wanchai Rujanawong said a subcommittee chaired by deputy attorney-general Wuthipong Wibulpong studied the NACC's investigation report and found it incomplete on three points.

On its conclusion that Ms Yingluck did not stop the programme despite knowing of the alleged corruption, Mr Wanchai said the rice-pledging scheme was one of the Yingluck government's policies delivered to the House of Representatives as required by the 2007 constitution. The NACC failed to establish that Ms Yingluck had the power to stop the policy scheme.


Ms Yingluck: Quite a lot to smile about.
(Reuters photo)

On Ms Yingluck's alleged negligence of duty, the NACC did not gather complete evidence to show whether Ms Yingluck had failed to act after being notified by the graft agency and the Office of the Auditor-General of the corruption during implementation of the scheme.

Concerning the alleged corruption, the NACC needs more witnesses who can testify where and how the corruption occurred during the scheme's implementation, Mr Wanchai said.

Moreover, when the NACC referred to a separate report by the Thailand Research and Development Institute (TDRI) concerning the alleged corruption, the NACC did not attach details, but only the cover of the report, Mr Wanchai said.

Mr Wanchai said the OAG has informed the NACC that its investigation was inadequate, and the two agencies are scheduled to appoint representatives to a joint committee to gather stronger evidence within the next two weeks. There is no timeframe for the committee to complete its work, and it is unclear how long it might take, Mr Wanchai said.

Mr Wanchai said if the case is to be forwarded to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, it must be clear beyond doubt where in the process the corruption took place, when it took place and who was involved.

The NACC forwarded its case to the OAG on July 17 alleging Ms Yingluck failed to deal with corruption in her scheme to subsidise rice, which led to losses estimated at more than 500 billion baht.

The NACC ruled by a vote of 7-0 there were sufficient grounds to allegations that Ms Yingluck was negligent in failing to scrap the policy, despite knowing it was plagued by corruption and losses. Ms Yingluck chaired the National Rice Policy Committee when she was premier. Her negligence would be in violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code and Section 123/1 of the National Anti-Corruption Act.

NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak said it was normal for the OAG to seek more clarity and stronger evidence before submitting the case to the court.

Mr Sansern said the NACC has no problem working with the OAG on the case, and the anti-graft agency is ready to provide more evidence, including full details of the TDRI report. He said he believed the joint panel will not spend too much time examining additional evidence and will step up efforts to conclude it as soon as possible. He added this case has a 15-year statute of limitations.

Mr Sansern said the NACC can appoint lawyers representing the agency to submit the case directly to the court if the joint panel fails to conclude the case within an appropriate period.

Responding to the OAG's refusal to indict Ms Yingluck, former Democrat MP Warong Detkitvikorm, who blew the whistle on massive losses and corruption in the rice-pledging scheme, said the OAG still did not clearly explain why it chose not to indict.

Phichit Chuenban, a lawyer representing Ms Yingluck in the case, said the three points raised by the OAG are the arguments Ms Yingluck has used to defend herself, although the NACC refused to hear them.

He said the OAG has correctly identified the importance of evidence and witnesses, the keys to a complete case.

The legal team representing Ms Yingluck is ready to provide additional witnesses and evidence to the OAG-NACC joint panel, Mr Phichit said.


Ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra checks out grades of rice during a 2012 photo-op trip to the Pichai market in Nonthaburi. She now appears likely to evade corruption charges over her government's rice-pricing scheme, as prosecutors say there is not enough evidence to take to court.
(File photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

bangkokpost.com

[Mid]

Watertight

Boat building would not be on the list of occupations your vocational guidance officer suggested

[sabang]

Anyway, dontcha think the average Thai is more interested in what good the junta is going to use it's superpowers for during it's cosmic orbit, than tawdry thoughts of revenge against political enemies? They'll mostly all tell you the same thing anyway- they should probably all be in jail. But they won't.

[MrBlobby]

Perhaps the OAG have listened to Prime Minister Yingluck's witnesses that the NACC refused to allow?

[Mid]

NACC vows to prove Yingluck rice rap
King-oua Laohong
6/09/2014

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday defended its handling of the rice-pledging case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra after public prosecutors rejected its call to indict her, citing insufficient evidence.

NACC chairman Panthep Klanarongran said the case against Ms Yingluck was solid.

He rejected prosecutors' claims that the anti-graft agency relied solely on a report by the Thailand Research and Development Institute (TDRI) to back the dereliction of duty charge.

Mr Panthep said the TDRI's report, which gave an academic view on the pledging scheme, was only part of the evidence.

"The NACC has tonnes of evidence. The joint panel will work through it," he said. "It is possible more witnesses may be called to give statements."

Mr Panthep said the NACC case did not directly focus on corruption accusations involving Ms Yingluck, but rather on her alleged negligence in dealing with graft and losses in the rice scheme.

But prosecutors said the NACC's investigation report was incomplete because it failed to establish that Ms Yingluck had the power to stop the scheme, which was her government's flagship policy.

Prosecutors will now work alongside the NACC as part of a joint investigation panel into the case. The NACC will meet on Tuesday to prepare for the joint panel, Mr Panthep said, vowing to bring the case to court again.

NACC member Vicha Mahakhun, who is leading the rice probe, shrugged off prosecutors' claims that the evidence against Ms Yingluck was inadequate.

He said prosecutors have yet to see all the evidence held by the NACC, adding that the agency is wrapping up its investigation into irregularities involving government-to-government deals.

"We are satisfied with our evidence. It is rock solid. There will be more people, after Ms Yingluck, to face charges," he said.

Mr Vicha said the NACC has also decided to press charges against Maj Weerawut Watchanaphukka, a former secretary to the commerce minister, in connection with the probe into government-to-government rice deals.

Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula yesterday gave a statement to the NACC after he earlier asked the agency to investigate former deputy prime minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong and former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom for alleged negligence of duty.

MR Pridiyathorn questioned the ministers' conduct following a rice deal between the Thai government and Bulog, the Indonesian government's rice-purchasing agency.

bangkokpost.com

[Mid]

A Little History Lesson



Abhisit's rice scheme probed
June 11, 2013

The Pheu Thai Party has petitioned for the Department of Special Investigation to look into the losses incurred by the rice-price guarantee programme under Abhisit Vejjajiva's government.

"The Pheu Thai validation team has recently discovered the project led to a loss of Bt130 billion, not Bt60 billion as they said," Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said yesterday.

"The number hasn't yet been verified by the Commission of Defence Against Corruption and Misconduct of the House of Representatives." Prompong added that the action is not in retaliation against the criticism of the Pheu Thai-led government's own rice-pledging scheme.

nationmultimedia.com


..................................................



Pheu Thai to ask NACC to probe Abhisit over rice price-guaranteeing scheme Tuesday
February 24, 2014

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Monday that he would file a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission seeking a probe against former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva over the rice price-guaranteeing scheme.

Prompong said the scheme implemented by the Abhisit government cause damage worth Bt166 billion.

He said the Office of the Auditor General warned the Abhisit government on November 15 2010 of possible corruption in the price-guaranteeing scheme. Prompong alleged that the number of farmers under the scheme was exaggerated to siphon the money.

Prompong said the Pheu Thai asked the NACC to probe the scheme in 2011 but the NACC declined to proceed with the investigation.

He said he would ask the NACC again at 1 pm Tuesday to probe Abhisit over the scheme.

nationmultimedia.com


.................................................. .


Rice Price Guarantee Scheme

Rice mortgage is one of many methods the government uses to assist farmers by manipulating rice prices. However, there are problems found in the government rice mortgage scheme, including produce adulteration and price arbitrage. The government by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva therefore initiated the idea to use a rice price guarantee scheme instead of the existing rice mortgage scheme.

[Mid]

[Mid]

JHC , that is simply Thai speak for : Toe the Line or else

[S Landreth]

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/gra...orney-general/

More curiously, why do you apparently have such a visceral hatred for all things Thaksin/poo/PT etc landie? Your normal objectivity and coolheadedness appear to be suspended in these matters.

poo? really? please stop

and by the way,..I don't hate

[Mid]

Joint NACC-OAG panel's membership set
9/09/2014




(Bangkok Post photo)

NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljiak will lead nine other commission delegates in further probing charges of dereliction of duty against Ms Yingluck. They will work with 10 members appointed by the Office of the Attorney General, led by deputy attorney general Wuthipong Wiboonwong.



(Bangkok Post photo)

Formation of the panel became necessary after the OAG last week refused to accept the NACC's recommendation that it indict the former premier at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. The OAG stated there was insufficient evidence to take Ms Yingluck to court.

However, the OAG stopped short of dropping the case, ordering the NACC to dig deeper in its investigation.

Once up and running, the joint panel will examine where the NACC's investigation report proved incomplete. It will then try to unearth additional evidence to revise the report and re-submit it to the OAG for consideration, Mr Sansern said.

If the panel cannot agree that enough evidence exists to satisfy the OAG, the NACC retains the option of either filing the case with the court itself or appointing lawyers to do so on its behalf, he said.

Mr Sansern said it's unknown how long the committee will take to complete its work. But he said the board will work expeditiously as the case has attracted considerable public interest.

bangkokpost.com