Yingluck Shinawatra acquitted of corruption
At the time of the former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra there were water management projects. The fact that a lot of money was needed for these projects in Thailand needs no further explanation. However, where a lot of money is involved, corruption soon comes into play.
In 2012, the water management projects would be financed in the form of loans, involving very large amounts. The amounts were questioned at one point and the NACC launched an investigation into possible excessive profits made to certain contractors in violation of the 2007 constitution.
However, it took a lot of time and also cost a lot of money. The rice mortgage program also played later, which also did not go smoothly, although this was an approved program by parliament. Yingluck was not directly involved, but they wanted more clarity about a few things. Yingluck could not make a satisfactory statement about this. However, a number of persons were sentenced to prison terms of 35 years and more. However, she was charged with dereliction of duty and that would have resulted in a prison sentence of 5 years. She did not wait for this and disappeared abroad, much to the chagrin of the then government, which was unable to prevent this.
Due to the lack of evidence and mounting legal costs, the National Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to drop the charges, led by NACC Secretary General Worawit Sookboon.
It is not yet clear what consequences this will have for Yingluck Shinawatra.
Why can't I find this in The Nation and in the Bangkok Post
It appears that the charges have been dropped. That is different from an acquittal.
Only the dereliction of duty that was initially held against her would have already earned her a prison sentence of 5 years.
A punishment that should deter every politician from making himself available for a possible leadership position in a future government.
If every dereliction of duty is punished in this way, the question arises, why Thailand still has a government at all?
Or is the current government free from any penalties for dereliction of duty?
The prisons are said to be full of the small elite, who for generations have remained in serious neglect compared to the normal Thai population.