Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said today that the Finance Ministry must reassess the losses incurred by the controversial rice pledging scheme and the amount of compensation to be paid by former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
He pointed out that the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling on May 22nd, to reduce the 35 billion baht demanded by the Finance Ministry to about 10 billion baht, was a clear indication that there was error in the calculation of the losses.
On Monday, however, the Administrative Court issued a clarification, saying that the court did not order Yingluck to pay the compensation for the losses, noting that the amount of compensation was under the authority of the Finance Ministry.
Phumtham claimed that, while he was serving as the commerce minister in the administration of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, the ministry managed to sell the leftover rice from the scheme at an average price of 18 baht/kg, which was much higher than the 3-5 baht/kg sales by governments over the previous decade, implying mismanagement in the sale of the rice.
He said that Yingluck’s lawyers should collect all necessary information to support the case for a retrial of the compensation issue.
Meanwhile, PM’s Office Minister Chusak Sirinil also said that the Finance Ministry should reassess the losses incurred by the scheme, because the old order was issued two years ago.
