BANGKOK, May 22 – The Supreme Administrative Court has ruled that former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must compensate the state 10.028 billion baht ($306 million) for losses incurred under her government’s controversial rice-pledging program, marking a pivotal moment in the decade-long legal saga.

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The verdict modifies a 2016 Ministry of Finance order that initially sought 35.717 billion baht in damages, which the Central Administrative Court later revoked. The ministry’s appeal led to today’s partial reinstatement of liability.

A Policy That Shook Thailand

Yingluck’s 2011–2014 rice subsidy scheme, which purchased grain from farmers at above-market rates, was praised by rural voters but condemned as fiscally reckless by critics. The program’s massive losses and corruption allegations fueled protests, culminating in the 2014 military coup that toppled her government.

The Supreme Administrative Court has ordered the former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay 10 billion baht in damages following her administration’s rice pledging scheme.

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Legal Repercussions Continue

The ruling adds to Yingluck’s legal troubles:

• 2015: Impeached by the military-backed legislature, barring her from politics for five years

• 2017: Sentenced in absentia to five years’ imprisonment for negligence (she fled Thailand before the verdict)

• 2025: Now held financially accountable for a fraction of the original damages claim

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The court found her negligent in preventing losses but reduced the penalty, acknowledging legal complexities. Yingluck, who has lived abroad since 2017, has yet to respond.

-Thailand News (TN)