The rice-pledging case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been closed after neither Yingluck nor the Office of the Attorney General had filed an appeal by the Oct 27 deadline, Isra News Agency reported on its website
The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Aug 25 sentenced Yingluck to five years imprisonment without suspension after finding her guilty of neglect of duty for failing to take action to stem damages from the rice-pledging scheme carried out by her government.
Yingluck has fled the country and is now residing abroad. Her exact whereabouts are not clear.
The source told Isra News Agency that the OAG contacted the Supreme Court on Oct 27 and was informed that Yingluck had not sent her legal representatives to file an appeal or to seek an extension of the appeal period. The OAG, as the plaintiff in the case, said it has no intention of filing an appeal.
Therefore, the case has been closed.
The next step is for the OAG to send a letter to officially inform the Foreign Ministry of the closure of the case so that it can continue with the process to revoke Yingluck's passport.
It is believed the ministry will send the letter to the Foreign Ministry shortly, said the source.
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