Former Thai PM denies negligence charges

Former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday pleaded not guilty during the first hearing of the rice-subsidy scheme case in which she is accused of dereliction of duty.

Shinawatra is also charged with abuse of authority in failing to prevent graft and losses estimated at over 500 billion baht (about $14 billion) in the rice subsidy scheme, The Bangkok Post reported.

The hearing began earlier on Tuesday at the Supreme Court in Bangkok.

The court approved the request of Yingluck's lawyers to submit a complete statement before July 3 and granted bail.

However, she is not allowed to leave the country during the trial or without the court's permission.

The court set July 21 and July 28 for the first examination of evidence and witnesses.

Shinawatra has also been ordered to appear before the court at all hearings. If she is unable to attend, she must submit a request with sound reasons.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission of Thailand has accused the former prime minister of using the rice-pledging scheme to gain votes from farmers and win the national general election in 2011.

If found guilty, she could face a maximum sentence of 10 years.

In January, she was impeached and banned from politics for five years.

--Indo-Asian News Service

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