Prime Minister Yingluck tries to buy time in rice case
Surprisingly, but it didn't last very long. Prime Minister Yingluck herself went to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday to present her defense against the negligence charge.
She spoke to the committee for 20 minutes, turned in 200 pages in defense, and asked if she could bring in another XNUMX witnesses. The committee is considering the request today, which the newspaper says is an attempt to buy time.
Yingluck is accused by the committee of letting things run their course as chair of the National Rice Policy Committee. It has not acted against the corruption in the rice mortgage system and the spiraling costs.
If Yingluck is found guilty, the NACC will nominate her for impeachment. She must then cease her work with immediate effect. The Senate decides her fate.
The mortgage system, reintroduced by the Pheu Thai government, starts to stall after 2 years because the government buys the rice from the farmers at a price that is 40 percent above the market price. As a result, Thailand has lost its position as the world's largest rice exporter to Vietnam and India. Many farmers have not seen satang for their surrendered rice since October.
NACC strikes back
The NACC yesterday defended itself against the criticism with which it was heaped. For example, the case against Yingluck would have been settled within 21 days, but the committee points out that it has been investigating corruption for a year and ten months. During that investigation, the role of Yingluck was already discussed.
Other arguments relate to procedure. I will highlight two: Yingluck has criticized the committee for denying its request for a 45-day extension. However, the committee points out that she was granted a 15-day extension once and that she had 32 days since the allegation was announced to prepare her defence.
A second reproach from Yingluck concerns the evidence. Initially, Yingluck's lawyers were given 49 pages of documents, but only three days ago received another 280 pages. According to the NACC, however, that additional information does not relate to her role as chairman and that is what the matter is essentially about.
The committee does not mention another accusation or the newspaper does not mention it. The commission is under fire because cases from the time when the Abhisit government was in power have still not been completed after four years.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Apr 1, 2014)