Yingluck fails to appear in impeachment case

There were many questions in yesterday's session of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), but no answers as the law-makers demanded former prime minister Yingluck defend herself personally, not through representatives.

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A National Legislative Assembly member reads questions about former premier Yingluck Shinawatra's rice-pledging scheme to her representatives: former deputy premier Kittiratt Na-Ranong, left, and her lawyer Norawit Lalaeng. CHANAT KATANYU

Yingluck fails to appear in impeachment case

There were many questions in yesterday's session of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), but no answers

The session was intended to question former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on her role in the loss-ridden rice-pledging scheme before the law-making body votes on whether to impeach her next Friday.

The former prime minister sent nine representatives to answer on her behalf, but NLA members demanded to hear from her personally and refused to allow her representatives to take part. Thus, it was all questions and no answers.

The no-show is unlikely to change many opinions about the Ms Yingluck. Her opponents will say it is one more example of her failure to take responsibility for her government's failed policy. Her supporters will likely see it as another unfair attempt to tarnish her image and remove her from politics.

What will happen next? Here is an excerpt from the Bangkok Post's lead story today:

Last chance for Yingluck to answer rice questions

Manop Thip-osod
Aekarach Sattaburuth

Yingluck Shinawatra faces another session in the hot seat next week after failing to show up in person on Friday to answer legislators' questions about her government's failed rice-pledging programme.

The NLA has demanded to hear the answers directly from Ms Yingluck, but time is running out as a vote on whether to impeach her is scheduled for next Friday.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has recommended that Ms Yingluck be retroactively removed from the premiership and have her political rights suspended as she failed to stop the rice scheme, despite being warned that it would end with huge losses to taxpayers.

Pichit Chuenban, a lawyer for Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai Party, complained about the NLA's decision not to allow the former premier's representatives to answer the prepared questions.

NLA vice president Surachai Liangboonlertchai then told the representatives to ask Ms Yingluck to show up by 6pm to supply answers. Her representatives replied that they could not contact Ms Yingluck and did not know where she was.

NLA members then read out the questions they wanted to pose to Ms Yingluck. They dealt with her responsibility for the damage that her rice scheme caused, including a huge loss and extensive corruption that she failed to bring to an end.

The Finance Ministry earlier concluded that the rice scheme caused a loss of at least 500 billion baht.

NLA member Dr Jet Siratharanont commented that Ms Yingluck did not show up on Friday because she wanted to postpone her answers to the date of her closing statement next Thursday.

This way, he said, Ms Yingluck would have an advantage because she would know the questions in advance and would have more time to prepare her replies.

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