Embattled Thai PM appears in court on abuse of power charge

Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra defended herself Tuesday against abuse of power allegations in a key case that is one of several legal challenges that could force her out of office — a move that anti-government protesters, who have been demonstrating in Bangkok for six months, would welcome.

Yingluck is accused of abusing her authority by transferring her National Security Council chief in 2011 to another position. A group of anti-government senators who brought the charges against her say she performed the transfer to benefit her ruling party and that the move violated Thailand’s constitution.

"I would like to deny all allegations I am accused of," Yingluck said calmly, seated beside her legal team on Tuesday. "As the prime minister, I am entitled to carry out responsibilities I have toward the people ... and for the utmost benefit of the general public."

Judge Charoon Intachan said after her testimony that the court would rule Wednesday, with some seeing a guilty verdict highly likely.

Members of her Cabinet who were in office at the time of the transfer could also be found liable.

A conviction could lead to confrontation between Yingluck’s supporters and anti-government groups, which have been protesting in the capital for six months in a bid to topple her. Those demonstrations disrupted a general election in February that she had been expected to win.

Both Yingluck’s "red shirt" supporters and anti-government protesters have planned large rallies in or around Bangkok for the coming days — raising fears of renewed violence.

Since November, more than 20 people have been killed in protest-related violence.

The political crisis pits Bangkok's middle class and royalist establishment against the mainly poor, rural supporters of Yingluck and her brother, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 and now lives in exile to avoid a jail term handed down in 2008 for abuse of power.

In February, another court ruled that the transferred official, Thawil Pliensri, must be restored to his job. That ruling by the Administrative Court found that while it was within Yingluck's right to reshuffle civil servants, she had failed to address the reasons for the transfer. If Yingluck is found guilty of interfering in state affairs for her personal benefit or that of her political party, she will have to step down as prime minister.

Thailand has been gripped by political conflict since 2006, when Thaksin was ousted from power.

Thaksin's supporters and opponents have each taken to the streets for extended periods in a power struggle that is currently focused on removing Yingluck, who took office in 2011. Opponents say she is acting as a proxy for her brother.

Currently, Yingluck is a caretaker prime minister, having called for early elections in February as a way of affirming her mandate after protests against her began. Following disruptions by her opponents, those elections were cancelled and rescheduled for July.

Wire services