Pheu Thai defends Yingluck

Party looking at ways to contest court order

- POST REPORTERS

The ruling Pheu Thai Party has come to the defence of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and is exploring ways to challenge a court order requiring her to pay 10 billion baht in compensation for losses under the controversial rice-pledging scheme over a decade ago.

Pheu Thai spokesman and MP Danuporn Punnakanta told a press conference that while the party respects the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling, it will explore all remaining legal channels to contest the order.

The court's ruling last Thursday upheld arguments by the Finance Ministry in its appeal against an earlier lower-court decision. However, the court reduced the amount Yingluck must pay to 10 billion baht, less than a third of the 35.7 billion baht originally sought by the ministry.