前泰國總理英拉被控瀆職罪

Thailand's attorney general has filed criminal charges against former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra over her involvement in a bungled rice subsidy program that cost the country billions of dollars.

Prosecutors on Thursday charged Ms. Yingluck with dereliction of duty for overseeing the program, which paid farmers above market prices for their rice. Her opponents say the program was an attempt to win the farmers' political support.

The Supreme Court must decide by March 19 whether to accept the case. If found guilty, Ms. Yingluck could be jailed for up to a decade.

Ms. Yingluck was ousted by a court order in May 2014, just days before the military seized power. Last month, Thailand's military-appointed legislature retroactively impeached her and banned her from politics for five years.

The Thai junta is also considering a civil suit against Ms. Yingluck. The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday recommended the government seek $18 billion in damages for the rice scheme.

The ex-prime minister claims the case against her is politically motivated and insists the rice subsidy program benefited Thai farmers.泰國總檢察長對前總理英拉提出刑事訴訟，指控她參與一個失敗的大米補貼項目，使泰國蒙受數十億美元的損失。

星期四，泰國檢察官指控英拉對該項目疏於監管。在實施該項目的過程中，政府以高於市場水平的價格向農民收購大米。英拉的反對者說，實施該項目是爲了贏得農民的政治支持。

泰國最高法院必須在3月19日之前決定是否受理此案。如果罪名成立，英拉的最高刑期將是10年監禁。

泰國法院2014年5月下達命令，罷免了英拉的總理職務。幾天後，泰國軍人掌控了政權。上月，軍方任命的泰國議會對英拉進行追溯彈劾，禁止她在五年內從事政治活動。

泰國軍政府還考慮對英拉提出民事訴訟。星期三，泰國全國反貪委員會爲大米補貼項目尋求180億美元賠償。

英拉說，對她的指控是出於政治動機，並表示大米補貼項目使泰國農民獲益。

英拉是泰國前領導人他信的妹妹。在2006年的軍事政變中，他信被罷黜，並被指控犯有貪腐罪。2008年，面臨兩年監禁判決的他信逃離泰國。但他信和他的爲泰黨仍受到民衆支持，尤其是在農村地區。