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Thai anti-corruption agency to investigate PM's rice subsidy Thai anti-corruption agency to investigate PM's rice subsidy
(35 minutes later)
A Thai anti-corruption agency said on Thursday it would investigate a rice subsidy programme that has fuelled opposition to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, as protesters marched through the capital demanding she resign.A Thai anti-corruption agency said on Thursday it would investigate a rice subsidy programme that has fuelled opposition to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, as protesters marched through the capital demanding she resign.
The unrest flared in November and escalated this week when demonstrators led by former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban occupied main road junctions in the capital, Bangkok, but the number of people camping out overnight appears to be dropping. The unrest flared in November and escalated this week when demonstrators led by former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban occupied main road junctions in the capital, Bangkok, although the number of people camping out overnight appears to be dropping.
The turmoil is the latest episode in an eight-year conflict that pits Bangkok's middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.The turmoil is the latest episode in an eight-year conflict that pits Bangkok's middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Yingluck's Puea Thai party was helped to power in 2011 by offering to buy rice at way above the market price to help poor farmers. Yingluck's Puea Thai party was helped to power in 2011 by offering to buy rice at well above the market price to help poor farmers.
Critics say the programme is riddled with corruption and - a particular gripe of the more well-heeled protesters - that it has cost taxpayers as much as 425bn baht (£7.9bn), although that figure would drop if the government managed to find buyers for the rice in state stockpiles. Critics say the programme is riddled with corruption and – a particular gripe of the more well-heeled protesters – that it has cost taxpayers as much as 425bn baht (£7.9bn), although that figure would drop if the government managed to find buyers for the rice in state stockpiles.
"Those who oversaw the scheme knew there were losses but did not put a stop to it," Vicha Mahakhun, of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, told a news conference."Those who oversaw the scheme knew there were losses but did not put a stop to it," Vicha Mahakhun, of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, told a news conference.
Yingluck is nominally head of the national rice committee and could therefore eventually face charges.Yingluck is nominally head of the national rice committee and could therefore eventually face charges.
The intervention price made Thai grain so expensive Thailand lost its position as the world's top rice exporter, overtaken by India and Vietnam.The intervention price made Thai grain so expensive Thailand lost its position as the world's top rice exporter, overtaken by India and Vietnam.
Thaksin's rural and working-class support has ensured he or his allies have won every election since 2001 and Puea Thai seems certain to win an early election Yingluck has called for February.Thaksin's rural and working-class support has ensured he or his allies have won every election since 2001 and Puea Thai seems certain to win an early election Yingluck has called for February.
The anti-government protesters have rejected the election.The anti-government protesters have rejected the election.
They want to suspend what they say is a fragile democracy destabilised by Thaksin, whom they accuse of nepotism and corruption. Their goal is to eradicate the political influence of his family by altering electoral arrangements, though in ways they have not spelt out, along with other political reforms.They want to suspend what they say is a fragile democracy destabilised by Thaksin, whom they accuse of nepotism and corruption. Their goal is to eradicate the political influence of his family by altering electoral arrangements, though in ways they have not spelt out, along with other political reforms.
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