Thailand's ex-PM held accountable to pay 8.2 bln USD for loss-ridden rice program
Xinhua, May 13, 2016 Adjust font size:
Former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was on Friday held accountable to pay some 8.2 billion U.S. dollars in compensation for losses to her rice subsidy program.
Chirachai Multongroey, deputy undersecretary of the Prime Minister's Office, charged during the Supreme Court's hearing on a misconduct case involving the rice program which had been implemented over the past several years by the Yingluck government that the ex-lady leader was legally obliged to pay about 8.2 billion U.S. dollars in compensation pay for the losses.
The deputy undersecretary of the Prime Minister's Office, chaired a working group set up by the current government to look into damages caused to the rice program in which Yingluck has been accused of failing to stop alleged corruption or to entirely terminate the program.
Chirachai said he had not had any prejudice or been given any instruction from higher-ups during his working group's probe into the case.
However, the Supreme Court ordered Chirachai to reappear in court on June 24 to give further testimony involving the populist rice program while Yingluck and other defendants are scheduled to give testimony on August 5.
She did not make any comment on the case before or after Friday's court hearing. Enditem