Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck condemns vote to impeach her

Following her impeachment vote on January 23, Ms. Yingluck will likely be banned from politics for the next five years.

According to AFP, on January 22, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra spoke out against the Thai National Legislative Assembly's vote to remove her from office.

Thailand's first female prime minister was ousted following a controversial court ruling in May 2014 shortly after the military staged a coup that ousted her.

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck (Photo Reuters)

In the January 23 vote, Ms. Yingluck will be investigated for her rice subsidy program, which is very popular with Thai farmers but has caused a billion-dollar budget deficit and is the main cause of protests against her.

Appearing with a crowd of police protection at the National Assembly Building in Bangkok on January 21, Ms. Yingluck emphasized: "I no longer hold any position that can be dismissed because the Thai Constitutional Court has dismissed me from the position of Prime Minister."

Ms. Yingluck also said that she could not be accused of violating the Constitution, because that Constitution no longer existed under the military government led by Mr. Prayuth Chan-ocha.

The former female Prime Minister also spoke out to defend her rice subsidy program, saying that this program was only intended to support farmers who had previously received very little money from the Government.

“I am not corrupt, nor did I do anything careless,” Ms. Yingluck said, calling on those involved in the impeachment vote to consider her case impartially and “without being influenced by anyone.”

The dismissal of Ms. Yingluck will only be approved if 3/5 of the 220 members of the National Legislative Assembly of Thailand vote in favor on January 23.

If found guilty, Ms Yingluck would be banned from politics for five years, which would severely impact her Red Shirt supporters.

Speaking on January 22, Mr. Jatuporn Prompan, Chairman of the Red Shirts, warned Red Shirt members not to protest even though he believed that Ms. Yingluck would most likely be removed from office.

“We will monitor this case carefully. If we are not patient, the Red Shirts will be accused of being irresponsible,” Mr. Jatuporn said on Peace TV. “It is not January 23 yet and tomorrow is not the last day. Time will tell. We have to be patient.”

Experts say the removal of Ms Yingluck is the latest attempt by Thailand's royalist and military establishment to neutralize the influence of the Shinawatra clan, which has won every election since 2001.

Also on January 21, National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) Commissioner Vicha Mahakhun described Yingluck's rice price support program as a populist policy used to win the Prime Minister's election.

“NACC members will clearly see that Ms. Yingluck is guilty for not being able to use her powers as Prime Minister to stop the program,” Mr. Vicha said, alleging that this had caused serious damage to the Thai economy and rice farmers.

Since Mr. Thaksin came to power in 2001, the government led by the Shinawatra family has undergone two coups and both Mr. Thaksin and Ms. Yingluck were dismissed from office by the Thai Constitutional Court./.

According to VOV