Dereliction of duty Yingluck: Anti-corruption commission fights on
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is not deterred by the decision of the Public Prosecution Service not (yet) to prosecute former Prime Minister Yingluck for dereliction of duty.
The OM considers the evidence submitted by the NACC insufficient, but NACC member Vicha Mahakhun says that the OM has not yet seen all the evidence. “We are satisfied with our evidence. It's rock hard and solid.'
The NACC has advised the prosecution to prosecute Yingluck for failing to clamp down on corruption in the rice mortgage system and spiraling costs as chair of the National Rice Policy Committee. For two years, the Yingluck government bought up the rice at prices 40 percent above the market price in the hope of manipulating the world market price. The only result was a huge unsaleable stock of rice.
The Public Prosecution Service issued an explanation of the decision not to prosecute on Thursday. According to the prosecution, the NACC's evidence is based solely on a report from the Thailand Research and Development Institute. But the NACC says this report is only part of the evidence. The report provides an academic view of the mortgage system.
"The NACC has tons of evidence," NACC president Panthep Klanarongan defends himself. He says the case revolves around Yingluck's role rather than the corruption allegations. The OM countered that the NACC was unable to make it clear that Yingluck had the opportunity to put an end to the mortgage system.
The NACC has also decided to prosecute Weerawut Watchanaphukka, former secretary of the Commerce Minister. He is under fire because of G2G rice sales (Government to government). The NACC is still investigating those sales.
Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula made a statement to the NACC about two former ministers yesterday. He questions their role in a rice deal between Thailand and the Indonesian government procurement agency Bulog.
A joint committee of NACC and OM will now conduct a renewed investigation into the case. New witnesses may be called.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Sept. 6, 2014)
"The NACC has tons of evidence," NACC president Panthep Klanarongan defends himself. He says the case revolves around Yingluck's role rather than the corruption allegations. says the article. Nice especially if you take the abbreviation of NACC. National Anti-Corruption Commission. Wow, it's nice when you claim that it's not so much about corruption.
@ Wibart The NACC apparently has a broader job description than investigating cases of corruption. The committee is also investigating the role of former Prime Minister Abhisit and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep during the red shirt riots in 2010. This is not about corruption, but about the permission the army received from them to fire live ammunition. The investigation into Yingluck focuses on whether she has neglected her duties as chairman of the NRPC. In legal terms: whether she has committed a crime of office (with reservations, because I am not a lawyer. In the message I call it: dereliction of duty).