Political party says Thai junta tampering with cases

By C Dhana

BANGKOK

A Thai political party ousted by a 2014 coup released a statement Thursday accusing the junta of tampering with judicial cases against party leadership.

The Pheu Thai party said that junta leader-cum-prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had given interviews to media that could lead and affect ongoing court cases.

"The party calls on General Prayuth to cease any actions that will cause officials to deviate from the normal law enforcement procedures," the statement said.

Pheu Thai and its former party leader Yingluck Shinawatra, an ex-prime minister overthrown in 2014, are facing criminal charges for negligence leading to corruption within a loss-ridden rice subsidy scheme -- which is said to have resulted in huge losses of public money and led to large-scale corruption.

The 49-year-old is accused of failing to stop the scheme, which bought rice from farmers at 40-50 percent above the market price.

Yingluck is also facing civil charges ordered by the military government which could see her pay up to 35 million baht ($1 million) for losses accrued from the failed subsidy plan.

By C Dhana

BANGKOK

A Thai political party ousted by a 2014 coup released a statement Thursday accusing the junta of tampering with judicial cases against party leadership.

The Pheu Thai party said that junta leader-cum-prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had given interviews to media that could lead and affect ongoing court cases.

"The party calls on General Prayuth to cease any actions that will cause officials to deviate from the normal law enforcement procedures," the statement said.

The 49-year-old is accused of failing to stop the scheme, which bought rice from farmers at 40-50 percent above the market price.

Yingluck is also facing civil charges ordered by the military government which could see her pay up to 35 million baht ($1 million) for losses accrued from the failed subsidy plan.