Court dismisses Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra from office

Thailand`s embattled premier Yingluck Shinawatra was on Wednesday dismissed from office by a court that found her guilty in an abuse of power case, plunging the crisis-hit country in to a fresh political turmoil.

Bangkok: Thailand`s embattled premier Yingluck Shinawatra was on Wednesday dismissed from office by a court that found her guilty in an abuse of power case, plunging the crisis-hit country in to a fresh political turmoil.

The Constitutional Court said Yingluck had a part in the transfer of Thawil Pliensri from the position of National Security Council secretary general, ruling that his transfer was done in an unusual haste.

It said the transfer was done in only four days and there was discrepancy in dates of documents related to the transfer hence the process was irregular.
In the ruling, the court said Yingluck took part in the approval of the transfer.

Yingluck, 46, has argued that she assigned her deputy to take care of the issue so she did not take part in it.

The court ruled that the prime ministerial status of Yingluck had not ended when she dissolved the House, dismissing her argument that her premiership status has ended so court had no authority to deliberate on it.
The court insisted that Yingluck still has the premier`s status because she and her Cabinet functioned as a caretaker government hence it could deliberate the case.

Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan yesterday said the ruling Pheu Thai Party, of which he is the leader, had worked out a plan to cope with a negative verdict from the court.

"If we (the whole Cabinet) are sacked (from office), there will be chaos. But we realise we will be (forced) out," he was quoted as saying by the Nation.

Yingluck assumed office as Thailand`s premier on August 5, 2011.

Six months of political street protests have so far failed to force Yingluck from office, with anti-government People`s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) demanding her resignation to pave the way for an appointed government that would institute reforms.

The anti-government protesters accuse Yingluck of acting as a proxy for her fugitive brother, former premier Thaksin, who was ousted in a coup in 2006.

About 25 people have been killed and hundreds others wounded in political violence in six months of protests.

Adding to the premier`s troubles, the anti-graft body National Anti-Corruption Commission finished reviewing facts and evidences in the controversial rice-pledging case against 46-year-old Yingluck and will make a decision on her indictment tomorrow, the Nation quoted sources as saying.

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