Thai court dismisses criminal case against ex-PM Yingluck

Supreme Court finds no evidence of conspiracy in 2011 personnel change order

20231226 Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in Hong Kong in 2019

Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in Hong Kong in 2019 © Getty Images

FRANCESCA REGALADO, Nikkei staff writer

December 26, 2023 20:07 JST

BANGKOK -- Thailand's Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a criminal case against Yingluck Shinawatra, the fugitive former prime minister, diverging from the anti-corruption watchdog and previous court rulings, which found grounds for abuse of power charges.

The Supreme Court did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy in a 2011 order signed by Yingluck to replace Thawil Pliensri as secretary-general of the National Security Council with Wichean Potephosree, then chief of the national police. Yingluck then appointed Deputy Police Chief Priewpan Damapong to replace Wichean.