On May 23, Ms. Sirikanya Tansakun, a party-list MP and Deputy Leader of the People's Party (PPC), commented on the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling that former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must pay 10 billion baht in damages related to the rice-pledging scheme. She stated that the ruling could establish a new standard for Thai public administration, particularly concerning what constitutes "gross negligence."
Ms. Sirikanya questioned how much diligence is required to avoid being deemed grossly negligent, noting that although Yingluck had set up committees to investigate the rice scheme's issues after multiple warnings, the court still found her liable for not doing enough.
She expressed concern that this standard might discourage future policymakers from initiating new projects, fearing similar legal consequences. "If it’s truly gross negligence, we must ask why only the chairperson of the rice committee is held accountable, while the rest of the committee bears no responsibility," she remarked.
As a policy thinker, she noted that this legal precedent may not affect campaign promises but will deeply influence actual policy implementation. Ms. Sirikanya emphasized the need for clearer guidelines to protect decision-makers from legal vulnerability when carrying out public policy in good faith.