Attorney-general decides to indict former prime minister

The decision was announced shortly before the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) voted to impeach her for the same allegation.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has been trying since last year to indict Yingluck in relation to the rice-pledging scheme, but the attorney-general’s office said the evidence was insufficient.
The meeting on Tuesday of a joint working panel, comprised of officials from the NACC and the attorney-general’s office, however, agreed that the evidence backing allegations against Yingluck was strong enough to take her to court.
A working group will be set up to examine more than 4,000 pages of documents, Surasak Threerattrakul, director-general of the Office of the Attorney-General’s Investigation Office, said. This group will have more than a month to work on the documents and is expected to take the case to court by March, he said.
The office will also coordinate with the NACC to bring a case against Yingluck to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders, he said.
Yingluck has to show up in person at the court to face the criminal charges, and could be detained unless the court grants her bail, Surasak added.
Asked if the decision to indict Yingluck was in any way connected with her impeachment case, Surasak said his office would consider the case in accordance with the laws and evidence.
Asked if the office would add Yingluck’s case to those filed against 21 other individuals, including the former commerce minister, Surasak said if the office finds common ground, then the cases might be merged.
The NACC decided earlier to file charges against former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyaphirom and his then deputy Poom Saraphol, holding them responsible for allegedly illegal government-to-government deals.
This case will also be taken to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders.