The Supreme Court of Thailand on Friday issued an arrest warrant against former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she failed to appear in court for the verdict in a negligence case, reported Reuters. The judge said he suspected that Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2014, had either fled the country or gone into hiding.

Although her lawyers said she could not attend the hearing because she was ill, the bench said it did not believe her excuse. “We don’t think that the defendant is ill,” the court said. “We think the defendant is hiding or has fled.”

The top court will pronounce the verdict on September 27.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan also said it was possible Shinawatra had already fled the country, reported BBC. However, her lawyer Norwait Lalaeng claimed he was unaware whether the former prime minister was still in Thailand.

Shinawatra faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty in a rice subsidy scheme case. If convicted, she will have 30 days to appeal against the verdict.

The subsidy scheme, which was a flagship policy of Shinawatra’s administration, was a hit among farmers, but it had incurred losses worth $8 billion (around Rs 51,040 crore). The former prime minister had argued that she was only in charge of coming up with the policy and not its day-to-day management. </s> Thailand's Supreme Court on Friday said it would seek permission for an arrest warrant for former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she failed to show up to hear the court's verdict in a negligence case against her.

The court set a new date of Sept. 27 for the verdict. The court said Yingluck, who had pleaded not guilty in the case focused on a rice subsidy scheme for farmers, had told the court she could not attend due as she was suffering from an ear problem.

"We don't think that the defendant is ill. We think that the defendant is hiding or has fled ... We have pushed back the verdict date to September 27," a statement from a Supreme Court judge said. "She asked for sick leave not to show up today."

Her lawyer said on Friday he did not know whether she is still in Thailand after she failed to show up for the verdict in a negligence case that could result in her facing up to 10 years in prison.

"At 8 am Yingluck's team contacted me to say it had told the court she could not show up because of an ear fluid imbalance," Norawit Lalaeng, Yingluck's lawyer, told reporters. </s> Thailand's Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the court said in a statement on Friday.

BANGKOK: Thailand's Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant for former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the court said in a statement on Friday.

The country's deputy prime minister said earlier that it was possible Yingluck, who was ousted by a military coup in 2014, has fled the country. Thailand's immigration police chief said he had no information to suggest she has left Thailand through the country's border checkpoints.

Yingluck faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty in a negligence case brought by the ruling junta that centers on her role in a rice subsidy scheme for farmers that resulted in multi-billion dollar losses. </s> Former Thai prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra Sentenced To Five Years In Prison

Thailand’s Supreme Court on Wednesday, sentenced former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, in absentia to five years in prison for negligence over mismanaging a rice subsidy scheme.

The politician was convicted of negligence in preventing corruption and irregularities in her government’s rice-pledging scheme prior to the 2014 coup.

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders ruled that Yingluck had acknowledged the illegality of government-to-government rice deals but refused to cancel a contract with a Chinese state enterprise.

The court ruled that the deal involved ill-gotten gains and the dishonest discharge of official duties.

The court will issue another arrest warrant against Yingluck, after an initial warrant was issued when she failed to appear before the court on August 25, when the verdict was originally scheduled to be read.

The nine-judge panel started reading the verdict at 11.15am and finished at 3pm.

Yingluck has not attended court hearings, and it is believed that she has been in hiding overseas for a month.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters before the verdict that he knew where Yingluck was but would not give more details. </s> Supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra mock army officers travelling in a truck past the Supreme Court after the former PM failed to show up to hear a verdict in Bangkok. Credit:AP The ruling date has been rescheduled to September 27. Thai media reported the court has seized the equivalent of $1.1 million that Ms Yingluck had posted as bail. "It is possible that she has fled already," Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan​ told reporters as he left a meeting in Bangkok. He had earlier said only that he had no confirmation of her whereabouts.

The arrest of Ms Yingluck, 50, would stoke anger among her Red Shirt supporters who see the charges against her as a witch-hunt. Police officers deploy outside the Thai Supreme Court ahead of ascheduled verdict on charges accusing former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of negligence in implementing a rice subsidy. Credit:AP Thousands of supporters defied a government ban on gatherings of more than five people and threats of legal action to converge on the court. Many were from her rural heartland in the country's north and north-eastern provinces. "Yingluck, fight, fight fight," many shouted. Thai police ride past supporters of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra sleeping outside the Supreme Court ahead of Friday's scheduled verdict. Credit:AP

Ms Yingluck had told her supporters on the eve of the hearing to stay home, fearing people with "ill-intentions" might and try and cause trouble for her movement. "I want all of you to give me support by staying at home and monitoring the news to avoid any risk of unexpected incident by people with ill-intention against the country and us," she wrote on Facebook. A supporter of of Yingluck Shinawatra waves outside the court on Friday morning. Credit:AP The military government put its credibility on the line by pursuing the first charges against a former prime minister over a flawed government policy. The generals who toppled Ms Yingluck's democratically-elected government in 2014 knew they risked her becoming a heroine in the eyes of millions of Thais if she was found guilty and jailed.

Yingluck Shinawatra thanks supporters as she arrives at the Supreme Court for her final statements on August 1. She didn't attend the hearing on Friday. Credit:AP No corruption allegations were made against her in the case. Prosecutors alleged Ms Yingluck's government ignored numerous written warnings from the Auditor-General and the country's anti-corruption commission about the program's risks and irregularities. A police officer frisks a supporter of of Yingluck Shinawatra outside court on Friday morning. Credit:AP Ms Yingluck told the court she did not terminate the program because it was never intended to generate revenue but to raise the incomes of farmers, and she forwarded the warnings to the relevant government agencies.

A subsequent investigation found no irregularities, she said. Even before Friday's scheduled verdict authorities had hit Ms Yungluck with a $US1 billion ($1.2 billion) fine over the program and seized her 16 bank accounts, which prompted a public outcry. Other former governments have implemented similar subsidy schemes but the one Ms Yingluck promised during an election campaign in 2011 spectacularly collapsed with losses to the state of up to $17 billion. The plan was to buy up local rice harvests for as much as 50 per cent above market rates to drive up global prices. But the market saw it as a clumsy attempt at price manipulation. Thailand amassed huge rotting stockpiles of rice rather than sell at a loss overseas.

The case is the latest in a decade-long offensive against a largely rural-based mass movement supporting a political machine founded and directed by Ms Yingluck's elder brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled in a 2006 military coup. Mr Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, fled into exile in 2008 to escape a prison sentence on a conflict of interest charge he claims was politically motivated. Critics had predicted that Ms Yingluck too would flee overseas before Friday but she appeared calm in the days leading to the verdict, making merit at Buddhist temples. Reporters camped outside her residence in Bangkok said she had not been seen since Wednesday. The online news site Khaosod English quoted a source close to Ms Yingluck saying she had left the country for Singapore on Thursday. It said she travelled overland to Cambodia with her 15-year-old son and then few to Dubai, the base of her elder exiled brother Thaksin Shinawatra. The claims could not be verified. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, said it was clear enough that politics was involved in the trial.

"I mean, this is a government that was elected in 2011 by a simple majority and it had a policy platform led by the rice pledging scheme," he said. "The scheme led to losses probably, but on the other hand, if we use this benchmark for other governments, then we could have a lot of government leaders in jail." Professor Thitinan said the only way for Thailand to break a vicious cycle of coups, changing constitutions and elections is for retooled charter rules and laws to be determined by electors. "Otherwise the recent past of protests, confrontation and turmoil will return to haunt and keep Thailand stuck," he said. The Bangkok Post said in an editorial the case reveals how Thailand's justice system is prone to be dragged into political turmoil.

"The case against Ms Yingluck, prosecuted under the ruling regime which ousted her, is highly political," the newspaper said. Since the 2014 coup, Thailand has become one of south-east Asia's most repressive countries with political gatherings banned, strict censorship of the media and hundreds of activists, journalists, academics and former politicians detained or charged. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the coup, urged Thais to accept the court's ruling. "Please keep this like any other. Generally those who are guilty must be tried in courts," he told reporters. Mr Prayuth has promised to allow a return to democracy but has repeatedly delayed setting a date.

Loading "In the next period, democratic mechanisms must take over. I confirm no attempts will be made to stay in power," he said. "If I want to enter politics, I must turn into a politician." </s> Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was sentenced in absentia Wednesday to five years in prison by the Supreme Court after it found her guilty of negligence of duty for mishandling a rice subsidy project that caused massive losses.

Yingluck is believed to have fled the country ahead of the verdict day that was originally scheduled last month. An arrest warrant has been issued for her, with Thai police seeking assistance from Interpol.

In its ruling, the court said Yingluck, who oversaw the rice subsidy policy in her administration, failed to stop falsified government-to-government sales of rice despite warnings from relevant state and independent agencies.

Yingluck’s co-defendant, former Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, was last month sentenced to 42 years in jail by the court.

Yingluck’s lawyer, Norawit Lalaeng, told reporters that her legal team will study the full verdict before making a decision on whether to appeal. However, Norawit admitted he has yet to reach Yingluck since Aug. 25 and still did not know where she is.

Police Chief Chakthip Chaijinda said efforts will continue to bring Yingluck back to face justice even though her whereabouts remain unknown.

Fewer supporters showed up at the court to hear the verdict than the initial court date last month. Most said the ruling was expected and that it was fortunate she had fled the country.

The younger sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in May 2014 by the Constitutional Court over an abuse-of-power case, just two weeks ahead of a coup against her political party’s successor government. The military has remained in power since then.

During the trial, she denied charges of criminal negligence in connection with her government’s rice-pledging scheme.

The scheme, which was her administration’s flagship policy, resulted in losses of some 500 billion baht (about $15 billion) to state coffers.

Her failure to appear in court on Aug. 25 prompted the postponement of the verdict until Wednesday.

Confirmed reports previously indicated Yingluck, who became Thailand’s first female prime minister in 2011, had fled the country to Dubai, where her older brother, who was ousted as prime minister in a previous military coup in 2006, resides.

Thaksin’s daughters this week showed photos of him in London, but it was unclear if Yingluck was with them there.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, who as army chief in 2014 overthrew the civilian government led by the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai Party, claimed Tuesday to know Yingluck’s whereabouts. But he said he would only inform the public after the ruling. </s> Thai authorities are looking for former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she was a no-show Friday at a hearing where she was expected to learn the verdict in her criminal trial. Thailand's Supreme Court has issued an arrest warrant and border guards were keeping an eye out for her — although there was speculation that Shinawatra may have already left the country.

The dramatic twist dashed the expectations of many in Thailand who had been awaiting the verdict — and a potential prison sentence for Shinawatra if convicted of negligence.

Now, current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he has "assigned officials to check the normal entry and exit routes and find out where she is."

From Bangkok, NPR's Michael Sullivan reports for our Newscast unit:



"There was a huge police presence at the courthouse where hundreds of her supporters had gathered for the verdict. But Yingluck's lawyers told the court she couldn't make it — because of an earache. "The judges weren't buying it. 'We don't think the defendant is ill, we think the defendant is hiding ... or has fled,' a court statement read. A new date for the verdict has been set for Sept. 27. Yingluck has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail."



Shinawatra has jumped bail following a string of problems that derailed her tenure. Forced out of office by a military coup in May of 2014, she was formally impeached in January of 2015. Months later, a court charged Shinawatra with negligence, as NPR's Scott Neuman reported, "for her role overseeing a populist rice-subsidy program that was mishandled, costing the government billions of dollars." She has pleaded not guilty.

On Friday, two officials from Shinawatra's administration were ordered to serve long jail terms over the rice scheme. As the Bangkok Post reports, former Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom was sentenced to 42 years in jail; his former deputy, Poom Sarapol, got 36 years.

As for Shiniwatra's whereabouts, Thai media speculated that she might have fled the country and traveled to Singapore, on her way to to join her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin, who was overthrown by the military back in 2006 and has since lived in a self-imposed exile after he was found guilty of corruption. </s> Bangkok: Former Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra has fled abroad as the country`s Supreme Court issued an arrest warrant after she failed to appear on Friday for the verdict in a negligence case brought against her by the ruling junta, a media report said.

A BBC report quoted sources close to her party as saying she made the decision to leave unexpectedly.

The top court issued the arrest warrant against Yingluck after she did not appear for the verdict in her trial over a rice subsidy scheme.

As thousands of supporters gathered near the court in Laksi district, the judges rejected her explanation she had Meniere`s disease and was suffering from vertigo, after her lawyer failed to present a medical certificate, reported The Bangkok Post.

The court also ordered the seizure of her 30 million baht ($900,360) bail bond. On Thursday, Yingluck told her supporters via Facebook to stay at home on Friday and not go to the court.

Reports said she was last seen in Bangkok on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court`s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions was set to announce its ruling on Yingluck, who faces trial for dereliction of duty in failing to halt her government`s loss ridden,corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme, despite being warned repeatedly to do so.

The scheme, introduced in 2011, pledged to pay farmers well above the market rate for their crop, and ended up costing the country billions.

Yingluck said the rice subsidy scheme was "beneficial for the farmers and the country" and that claims it lost money were wrong and motivated by political bias against her.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and/or a fine of 200,000 baht ($6,000).

The court has scheduled the hearing for September 27. Police estimated about 3,000 of the former leader`s supporters showed up near the Supreme Court on Friday morning.

When she was inaugurated in 2011, Yingluck became Thailand`s first female Prime Minister and its youngest in over 60 years.

The sister of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck was ousted by a coup in 2014 and was later impeached by Thailand`s military-appointed National Legislative Assembly.

The ruling barred her from political office for five years. </s> Ousted former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrives at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, September 29, 2015. Source: Reuters/Chaiwat Subprasom/File Picture

THAILAND’S Supreme Court has sentenced former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra to five years jail after finding her guilty of negligence in a trial brought by the junta that overthrew her.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the nine judges were still delivering the verdict on Wednesday when news of the sentence leaked to Thai media.

Yingluck dramatically fled the country a month ago after failing to show up at court for the verdict. She was rumoured to be in Cambodia, however, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen has denied those rumours. Three senior policemen have been investigated but not charged for allegedly helping her escape in a car with counterfeit plates.

SEE ALSO: Thailand: Ex-PM Yingluck has fled abroad, say sources



Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who overthrew Yingluck in a 2014 coup, said on Tuesday that he knows where the ousted former prime minister is but refused to disclose her location until after a verdict was delivered.

Reuters has reported she is living in Dubai with her elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister toppled in a 2006 coup, who lives in exile to avoid a jail sentence on corruption charges.

Yingluck, who pleaded not guilty in the case, was found guilty of negligence for the mismanagement of a rice subsidy scheme that saw Yingluck’s government buy rice from farmers at above-market prices in an attempt to manipulate the global grain market.

SEE ALSO: Thailand: Arrest warrant issued for ex-PM Yingluck after no-show in court



The program collapsed as neighbouring countries increased production and stockpiles of rice rotted in Thai warehouses. The military claims it caused US$8 billion in losses.

The verdict has the potential to reignite tensions between the ruling military junta and those who still support the Shinawatra family. However, only 50 members of Yingluck’s so-called “red shirt movement” showed up outside the court on Wednesday, a dramatic drop in numbers from previous hearings.

Prayuth has urged Thais to remain calm over the case that has essentially ended the political dominance of the Shinawatra family, whose movement won the last five general elections, making it the most dominant force in Thai politics for more than a decade.
Thailand's Supreme Court issues an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who didn't appear in court for the verdict in her negligence trial regarding a rice subsidy program for farmers. The court also issued a statement questioning her attorney's report that she is unwell and a potential flight risk, citing the lack of a physician's certificate. The reading of the verdict has been rescheduled to September 27. Sources within Shinawatra's party Pheu Thai Party have said that she has allegedly fled the country, though not saying where to, in response current prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has ordered the border checkpoints to be closely monitored to prevent Shinawatra leaving the country if she has not already.