Suranand defends transparency in rice-pledging scheme before court
Suranand Vejjajiva, the former secretary-general of ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra, Wednesday defended the previous government’s rice-pledging scheme, while he said there had not been restrictions about the disclosure of public information concerning the controversial scheme.
Suranand told the Supreme Court’s division on criminal offences committed by holders of political office that there had been general guidelines on the implementation of the rice-pledging scheme, but the Cabinet never issued orders to restrict disclosure of public information.
Yingluck, who also attended yesterday’s eighth hearing on the case, is facing charges of negligence of official duty while implementing the scheme, which public prosecutors have said led to Bt500 billion in financial damages.
Suranand said the previous government’s spokespersons were responsible for disclosing to the general public information on the scheme. However, the former prime minister’s secretary-general declined to talk about alleged fake government-to-government rice deals in connection with the rice-pledging scheme, saying the Commerce Ministry had been responsible.
