Attorney-general’s decision on Yingluck corruption charges due today

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: The Attorney-General’s Office will decide today whether to prosecute ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra on charges of dereliction of duty for neglecting to act on corruption in the rice-pledging scheme and inflicting damage of Bt500 billion on the country.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in July forwarded its investigative report to state attorneys with the recommendation to seek Yingluck’s indictment by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. According to the law, the state is required to prosecute an accused politician within 30 days after receiving the anti-graft agency’s file.

In this case, that deadline is today and the office needs to come up with a decision. The deadline could be extended if the case is not ready on time.

However, if the attorneys believe the evidence is not conclusive enough, it can notify the NACC and they can set up a joint committee to gather more proof. But if it sees the case file as complete, it could go ahead with the prosecution immediately with no need to require a court appearance by the accused.

The office had appointed a team of public prosecutors to scrutinise the NACC’s case file. The team has taken 30 days to complete examination of the 4,000-page dossier from the NACC.

— Phuket Gazette Editors