Thailand impeaches former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra

Thailand’s military-appointed legislature has voted to impeach former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
She was impeached for her role in overseeing a government rice subsidy program that lost billions of dollars.
More than three-fifths i.e. 190 legislatures voted against Yingluck in the legislature of 220 members. It should be noted that, for this impeachment more than three-fifths votes of the legislatures was required.
Most members of the legislature who voted against her are part of the military or political opponents her government and past governments allied with her brother Thaksin Shinawatra (former Prime Minister who was ousted in a 2006 coup).
This impeachment means she will be banned from politics for five years.
While, Thailand’s military government is also planning to indict criminal charges on her for negligence related to losses and alleged corruption in the rice scheme. If she is convicted, she could face 10 years in jail.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2015