Top court to rule on Yingluck rice case May 22

Supreme Administrative Court to deliver final ruling in Yingluck rice pledging case on May 22

On May 22 at 1.30pm, Thailand’s Supreme Administrative Court is scheduled to deliver its ruling in Case involving former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and one other plaintiff against the Prime Minister and eight other government officials.

This case involves allegations of unlawful conduct by state officials and concerns administrative liability arising from the exercise of legal authority.

Case Background

The plaintiffs, led by Yingluck , argue that she suffered damages due to an unlawful order issued by the Ministry of Finance (the sixth defendant). The ministry, in Order No. 1351/2559 dated October 13, 2016, demanded financial compensation from Yingluck in connection with her alleged failure to prevent corruption during her administration’s controversial rice-pledging scheme.As both Prime Minister and Chair of the National Rice Policy Committee at the time, Yingluck was accused of negligence for allowing corruption to occur under the program and for failing to take corrective action to prevent financial losses to the state.

Yingluck has consistently maintained that the compensation order was unjust and unlawful, prompting her to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court.The case has drawn significant public and political interest, particularly in light of past high-profile investigations into government officials involved in the rice-pledging scheme. 

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has pursued related cases, including recent action against Poom Sarapol, a former deputy minister, for unusual wealth totalling 19.9 million baht, and the controversial parole of Boonsong Teriyapirom, the former commerce minister and businessman Apichart “Sia Piang” Jansakulporn, both previously convicted in connection with the program.

(2025/05/17-00:00)