Be home instead of at court for Yingluck’s closing statement: NCPO source
People should stay put rather than bringing themselves to support former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on August 1, when she will provide verbal final closing statement to the court. That’s the advice of a source from the National Council for Peace and Order, who spoke on Saturday on condition of anonymity.
The NCPO source said that authorities have been vigilant in monitoring across the country for possible mass movements of people ahead of an August 25 court verdict regarding Yingluck’s alleged negligence in regard to her government’s rice-pledging scheme.
The NCPO’s evaluations so far have not suggested a likelihood of conflicts connected to the verdict, the source said.
But the source also cited PM and the NCPO head General Prayut Chan-o-cha as saying on Tuesday that arranging to bring trucks and cars loaded with people to the court could “risk violating the laws”.
Supporters are most likely to travel from metropolitan areas, given that northern and northeastern parts of Thailand, where Pheu Thai strongholds are located, have been troubled by floods.
“The court has its security system and the police will oversee outside the court’s compound,” the source said. “We won’t stop them, but we ask them to come and go, and not put pressure against police and court officials.”
Measures for August 25, when a final verdict will be handed down, will be considered later on, the source added.
