Thai court to decide whether to accept Yingluck case on March 19

BANGKOK, February 19 (TNA) - The Supreme Court has set March 19 to decide whether to accept a criminal lawsuit against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra over her government’s rice pledging scheme for further proceeding. The development came after the Office of Attorney-General Thursday morning filed the criminal lawsuit with the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions against the former premier for failing to stop the rice-pledging scheme that allegedly caused massive losses to the country. Theerathai Charoenwong, secretary to the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, said the decision will be announced at 10 am on March 19. In the meantime, the Supreme Court president will call a plenary session in 14 days to select nine judges to handle the case, he said. If the case was accepted, the court would then set a date for the first hearing, he pointed out. Whether or not Yingluck shows up at the first hearing might be the condition for the court to decide whether to temporarily release her or allow her to leave the country, he said. Theerathai said the former premier could apply for bail from today. He said the statute of limitations of her case lasts 15 years after her alleged wrongdoing. (TNA)