Fans mob Yingluck as she arrives at court
In lead up to Sunday's referendum, hundreds of supporters greeted Yingluck with roses as she made one last plea for people to vote on Sunday.
In lead up to Sunday's referendum, hundreds of supporters greeted Yingluck with roses as she made one last plea for people to vote on Sunday.
POLITICS & THE LAW
Fans mob Yingluck as she arrives at court
5/08/2016
AFP News Agency
Hundreds of fans swarmed around former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra as she arrived at the Supreme Court in Bangkok on Friday to give evidence at her negligence -in-office trial.
Ms Yingluck is charged in the Supreme Court's criminal division for holders of political positions with failing to stop corruption in the financially ruinous rice pledging scheme.
The rice pledging scheme was introduced and administered by Ms. Yingluck's government, which saddled the state with huge stockpiles of unsold, deteriorating rice worth hundreds of billions of baht.
Several hundred people were outside the court to greet her. Many handed her red roses.
REPEATS PLEA OF INNOCENCE & CALLS FOR NO VOTE IN REFERENDUM
She repeated her plea of innocence of the negligence charge to the crowd, saying the losses occurred after she was removed from office by the court.
Ms Yingluck also repeated her intention to vote "No" to both questions on the ballot atthis Sunday's referendum on the military government's draft constitution.
"I want to invite all Thais to go and vote," she said.
"I don't want a small turnout otherwise the result won't be what we want if we want to see democracy have a future."
SUNDAY'S REFERENDUM: MUCH AT STAKE
Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai party has expressed fears of a low turnout on Sunday -- with many among their rural support base unsure of how the new charter affects them.
A low turnout would probably favour the military, which says the charter would bring long-term stability, rein in avaricious politicians and prevent any one party from becoming too dominant.
Opponents say it will lead to a straightjacketed democracy, weak coalition governments controlled by an appointed senate and enable courts and other agencies to hamper policy making.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1053593/fans-mob-yingluck-as-she-arrives-at-court
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