OAG to file criminal charges against ex-female Thai PM

BANGKOK, January 23 (TNA) - The Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) has decided to file criminal charges against former female Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, accusing her of dereliction of duty for failing to stop her previous government's rice-pledging scheme, which has caused an over 500-billion-baht loss to the state. OAG Director-General Surasak Threerattrakul told journalists of the decision on Friday, saying that Attorney-General Trakul Winitnaiyapak has endorsed the OAG's move, after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has found her guilty in the loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme. Surasak stated that a joint OAG-NACC panel on January 20 considered evidence and unanimously agreed that the evidence was sufficient to file the criminal charges against Yingluck with Bangkok's Supreme Court for Holders of Political Positions under the Criminal Code 157 and under the 1999 Organic Law concerning corruption prevention. According to the OAG director-general, it is believed that the charges against Yingluck could be filed with the Supreme Court for Holders of Political Positions within a month or by March 2015 and it is unnecessary to bring Yingluck to the court on that day, as the public prosecutors could file the charges independently. The OAG director-general noted whether Yingluck will be bailed or allowed to travel overseas after the charges are filed is up to the discretion of the Court. The OAG director-general stressed that the OAG's decision is not related to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA)'s vote to impeach the ex-female Thai premier for her alleged dereliction of duty and failure to stop her previous government's loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme. Meanwhile, Norawit Lalaeng, Yingluck's lawyer, submitted a letter to OAG, requesting for justice. The letter said OAG should wait before taking a legal action against the ex-female Thai prime minister because OAG has not yet completely studied the investigation, especially on certain points which the ex-prime minister had sought justice on the case. (TNA)