Last updated on May 6th, 2021 at 09:21 am
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found reasons for charging former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and two other former officials of committing crimes and abussing their power by conducting a roadshow drive to publicize proposals for infrastructure growth in 2013.
NACC spokesman Niwatchai Kasemmongkol told a press conference after Wednesday ‘s meeting that Yingluck, former Secretary-General of the Prime Minister Suranand Vejjajiva and then Minister of the PM Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan is suspected of breaching two laws — Section 151 and Section 157 of the Criminal Code and Section 12 and Section 13 of the Criminal Code Act.
The suspected crimes contribute to Thailand’s 240-million-baht Constructing the Future in 2020 initiative initiated at her guidance as prime minister in 2013. As a consequence, activities conducted under the roadshow program are essentially become null and invalid, and the 240-million expenditure already expended on the initiative has been lost, causing harm to the administration, said Mr Niwatchai, who also serves as the deputy secretary general of the NACC.
The NACC also found that two media firms hired to operate the roadshow were reportedly complicit in endorsing state authorities’ offenses in breach of the Penal Code, the anti-corruption statute, and the rule on offenses relevant to sending contract offers to state agencies, Niwatchai stated.
Matichon Plc and Siam Sport Syndicate Plc were the newspaper companies. The NACC must submit to the Attorney General’s Office (OAG) an investigative report on the event and a request for judicial proceedings against the perpetrator, who would determine whether to put the matter to the Criminal Division of Political Role Holders of the Supreme Court.
Mr Surnand wrote a statement that he had sincerely and diligently done his duties in the benefit of the state and the public. All acquisition procedures were performed solely in compliance with state laws, he said, and he wished for fairness for himself and the other defendants.
Matichon vice president Thakoon Boonparn said the organization was innocent and said during the inquiry, Matichon said, the anti-graft body never offered it the chance to defend itself.
