Thai Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has dismissed as unnecessary a request by former Premier Yingluck Shinawatra to have additional witnesses testify in a trial over a controversial rice scheme, local media reported Tuesday.

The trial will not be extended for more witnesses to testify, Wissanu was cited by the National News Bureau of Thailand as saying.

Last December, Yingluck, who is charged with dereliction of duty and abuse of authority in administering her government's rice-pledging scheme, asked an investigation committee of the Commerce Ministry for more time to question 18 additional witnesses before it proceeded to demand financial compensations for losses in the scheme.

Yingluck has been alleged of failing to stop corruption in the rice program and incurring up to 17 billion U.S. dollars in operational losses.

The Supreme Court will probably need four more hearings before closing the case, Wissanu said, adding that anyone who wanted to submit evidence to the court could do so in writing until the end of this month. Enditem

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)