Thai PM to appear before Corruption Commission
Anti-Corruption Commission files charges against Yingluck Shinawatra with regard to government's rice subsidies program.
BANGKOK
Thailand's prime minister has been summoned to appear before the country's National Anti-Corruption Commission on corruption charges.
The body said in a statement Tuesday that it had filed charges against Yingluck Shinawatra with regard to to her government's rice subsidies program.
Shinawatra is head of Thailand's National Rice Committee.
The statement said that although many people had warned about corruption and massive financial losses in the scheme, she continued with it.
"That shows her intention to cause losses to the government so we have unanimously agreed to charge her," commission member Vicha Mahakhun said in the statement.
Shinawatra has been summoned to face the charges on February 27.
Last month, the Anti-Corruption Commission had said that there was not enough evidence to press charges against Shinawatra in relation to the rice-scheme, but pressed charges against several of her ministers.
The rice subsidies program was introduced soon after embattled Shinawatra's Puea Thai party (For the Thais) won the 2011 election with 75 percent of the vote.
Under the scheme, the government buys rice at a price way above market value from farmers - long the government's support base.
At first, the program proved popular, but quickly ran into hundreds of billions of baht (billions of euros) of financial losses.
It was also heavily criticized for opening the door to corruption.
On Monday, the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defense, an administrative building where the cabinet has been working since government house was surrounded by anti-government demonstrators, was besieged by furious farmers.
BANGKOK (AA) - Thailand's prime minister has been summoned to appear before the country's National Anti-Corruption Commission on corruption charges.
The body said in a statement Tuesday that it had filed charges against Yingluck Shinawatra with regard to to her government's rice subsidies program.
Shinawatra is head of Thailand's National Rice Committee.
The statement said that although many people had warned about corruption and massive financial losses in the scheme, she continued with it.
"That shows her intention to cause losses to the government so we have unanimously agreed to charge her," commission member Vicha Mahakhun said in the statement.
Shinawatra has been summoned to face the charges on February 27.
Last month, the Anti-Corruption Commission had said that there was not enough evidence to press charges against Shinawatra in relation to the rice-scheme, but pressed charges against several of her ministers.
The rice subsidies program was introduced soon after embattled Shinawatra's Puea Thai party (For the Thais) won the 2011 election with 75 percent of the vote.
Under the scheme, the government buys rice at a price way above market value from farmers - long the government's support base.
At first, the program proved popular, but quickly ran into hundreds of billions of baht (billions of euros) of financial losses.
It was also heavily criticized for opening the door to corruption.
On Monday, the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defense, an administrative building where the cabinet has been working since government house was surrounded by anti-government demonstrators, was besieged by furious farmers.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
