25-4-2024 (BANGKOK) In a pivotal development, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has unanimously decided not to contest the Supreme Court’s ruling that dismissed the corruption case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and revoked the warrant for her arrest. The resolution, passed with a 6-0 vote from all commissioners present, effectively clears Yingluck of any pending cases with the NACC, marking a significant milestone in her long-standing legal battle.
Yingluck, whose political career has been mired in controversy, had previously been sentenced to five years in prison by the Supreme Court for her involvement in the mismanaged rice-pledging scheme, which failed to mitigate substantial damages. However, in a separate case concerning the transfer of Thawil Pliensri, the former secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), the Supreme Court dismissed the charges, and the Office of the Attorney General did not appeal the decision.
The corruption case in question stemmed from allegations leveled by the NACC in 2022, accusing Yingluck and others of committing malfeasance and nonfeasance to unfairly benefit two publications – Matichon Plc and Siam Sport – in a public relations project. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants had caused damages of Bt239.7 million to the country by approving the roadshow project being granted to the two publications without properly inviting bids.
However, last month, the Supreme Court dealt a decisive blow to the case, stating that there was no evidence to suggest that Yingluck and her co-defendants had improperly approved funding for the project or had interfered in or chosen the two publications before the roadshow’s implementation. The court further noted that a committee established after the 2014 coup that ousted her government had examined the issue and found no illegality.
With the NACC’s decision to accept the Supreme Court’s ruling, Yingluck, who has been living in self-exile for nearly a decade, finds herself free from any pending cases with the anti-corruption watchdog.
