Thai Court Orders Ex-Premier Yingluck Shinawatra to Pay $305 Million Over Rice Scheme

In a significant legal development, a Thai court has mandated former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to compensate the state with 10 billion baht, equivalent to $305 million, due to her involvement in a mismanaged rice pledging scheme. The program, initially a part of Yingluck's Pheu Thai party's populist agenda, aimed to support farmers by offering prices significantly above the market rate.

Despite its intentions, the initiative led to substantial financial losses and unresolved rice surplus, with Yingluck subsequently facing a five-year prison sentence for her alleged negligence. To escape imprisonment, Yingluck self-exiled, joining the ranks of her influential family members, including her brother, former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who have faced political controversies over the years.

Yingluck, who assumed office in 2011, remained steadfast in her defense, asserting that political motivations underlie the legal actions against her and her family. She characterized the latest ruling, which demands an exorbitant compensation sum, as excessive, vowing to continue her fight for justice through her social media channels.

(With inputs from agencies.)