Thailand freezes former PM Yingluck’s bank account

Thailand’s Ministry of Justice and lawyers of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on July 25 affirmed that Thai authorities have frozen seven bank accounts belonging to the ex-PM.
Thailand freezes former PM Yingluck’s bank account ảnh 1Thai authorities freeze ousted PM Yingluck's bank accounts. (Source: AFP)
Bangkok (VNA)– Thailand’s Ministry of Justice and lawyers of ousted PrimeMinister Yingluck Shinawatra on July 25 affirmed that Thai authorities havefrozen seven bank accounts belonging to the ex-PM over a 1 billion USD fine shefaces for her administration's controversial rice subsidy scheme.

Yingluck's legal team said that the former PMreceived an official notification on the freezing of her accounts on July 24. Sevenof her bank accounts were frozen and could not carry out any transactions.

The Finance Ministry revealed that it was movingahead with the order and planned to seize at least 12 accounts belonging to theembattled politician as an initial measure.

The move is seen as unprecedented because itfinancially sanctions an elected leader for a government policy and it is thelatest in a barrage of legal battles she has had to fight since she was bootedfrom office in 2014.

Under Yingluck's flagship rice-pledging schemethe government bought paddy at nearly twice the market rate, which helped herwin the 2011 election.

In May 2014, she was accused of violating theConstitution and abusing power. The junta led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha,which took office in the same month, claimed the policy cost Thailand around 8billion USD in lost revenue.

Yingluck is also facing a criminal lawsuitrelated to the rice-subsidy scheme. The Supreme Court is scheduled to givefinal judgement in August 25.-VNA

VNA

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