Thai PM hears negligence charges

Thailand's anti-graft commission on Thursday summoned Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to hear charges of negligence for allegedly mishandling a government subsidy program.

But Yingluck was a no-show at the anti-corruption agency hearing, sending her legal team instead because she was visiting her home province of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.

The charges from the National Anti-Corruption Commission could lead to Yingluck’s impeachment.

Wittaya Arkompitak, deputy secretary of the anti-graft commission, told Reuters that officials had struck a deal with the pro-government demonstrators to allow officials access to the building through a back entrance.

"If her legal team hears the charges against her, she has 15 days to present evidence and after that the NACC will deliberate the case further," Wittaya told Reuters.

Yingluck has denied negligence and accused the agency of bias, noting that a rice corruption case involving the previous administration had made no progress after more than four years.

"Yingluck has not received fair treatment from the NACC," Prompong Nopparit, a legal adviser to Yingluck's Puea Thai Party, told Reuters.

"The agency only gave 21 days to examine the case against her whereas a rice investigation involving the Democrat Party has dragged on for years. Standards should be the same for the Democrat Party and for Yingluck."

After Yingluck failed to appear, anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said he was willing to appear in a live TV debate with the prime minister. He has refused for weeks to engage in any form of talks.

"I'm ready to be the people's representative and talk politics with Yingluck," he told supporters. "Just tell me when and where. ... Give us two chairs and a microphone and transmit it live on television so the people can see."

Yingluck's supporters, called Red Shirts, are copying the tactics of her opponents, who have blocked roads and government agencies since December to pressure her to resign. The Red Shirts believe the anti-graft agency is persecuting the prime minister.  

The rice subsidy program — a flagship policy of Yingluck's administration that helped win the votes of millions of farmers — has accumulated losses of at least $4.4 billion and has been dogged by corruption allegations. Payments to farmers have been delayed by many months.

The Red Shirts have generally kept a low profile during the anti-government protests, but as Yingluck's government comes under greater threat of legal action that might force it from office, they have said they will respond in force, if necessary.

The volatile situation has worsened recently, with shootings and grenade attacks on anti-government protest sites. Twenty-two people have died and hundreds have been hurt in the political violence.

The deaths of four children in attacks this past weekend caused widespread shock and sorrow, but seem to have only hardened the positions of both sides.

A grenade believed to have been fired from a M79 launcher exploded in the parking lot of public TV broadcaster TPBS on Wednesday night, damaging several cars but causing no casualties. Thai media reported that another two grenades were apparently fired at the nearby offices of the government's emergency peacekeeping task force but failed to explode.

Thailand's army, which is generally sympathetic to the current anti-government protesters, announced Wednesday that it would set up checkpoints in Bangkok to help maintain safety.

Al Jazeera and wire services