BANGKOK, Thailand – The Thai public is closely watching this afternoon as the Supreme Administrative Court delivers a final verdict on whether former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must pay 35.7 billion baht in damages over alleged negligence in the government’s controversial rice-pledging program.
The ruling, scheduled for 1:30 PM on Thursday, follows years of legal battles. The Ministry of Finance is appealing a 2020 decision by the Central Administrative Court, which had revoked a previous compensation order. That court found insufficient evidence directly linking Yingluck to the financial damage and ruled that the internal investigation process did not comply with legal standards.
Yingluck and her husband, Anusorn Amornchat, had sued top government officials and agencies, arguing that the compensation order—originally issued in 2016—was unlawful and politically motivated.
The case stems from her administration’s multi-billion baht rice subsidy scheme, which critics say suffered from widespread corruption and massive losses. Yingluck was impeached and later sentenced in absentia to five years in prison. She has been living in self-imposed exile since 2017.
If the court today sides with the Ministry of Finance, Yingluck could be held personally liable for the staggering financial losses—a ruling that may have far-reaching political and legal consequences.
The verdict is expected to be announced this afternoon. (TNA)
