‘Decision on disposing of Yingluck’s assets rests with top court’

At this stage, the process is to seize Yingluck’s assets based on the civil liability case. 
The fugitive ex-premier was convicted for negligence in performing her official duty while supervising her government’s rice-pledging scheme, resulting in massive financial damage to the state. The court ordered Yingluck to pay a huge compensation to cover the loss.
However, Yingluck, who fled the country late last year just before the Supreme Court sentenced her to a five-year jail term, sought an injunction in the civil liability case pending a full trial by the Administrative Court.
A Finance Ministry source said if the court eventually dismissed Yingluck’s petition against the ministry’s civil liability case and such a ruling was upheld by the Supreme Administrative Court, then the Finance Ministry and the Justice Ministry’s Department of Legal Execution could go ahead and auction off the assets. The proceeds could be treated as part of the compensation under the civil liability lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Norawit Lalaeng, one of Yingluck’s lawyers, has criticised deputy premier Wissanu Kreungam after he suggested that Yingluck’s husband and son may have to pay rent while staying at Yingluck’s house.
Norawit said the case is not yet final and Wissanu should not have made a statement that was hurtful to the ex-premier’s spouse and child. 
He added that if the house was rented to other persons, the rental income may have to be returned to the government in the event of the asset being declared state property by the court.
However, the government has resorted to another legal avenue by filing a civil liability lawsuit against Yingluck so there are still several legal challenges before the assets could be sold.