On May 24, 2025, Mr. Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a party-list MP from the People’s Party, posted on Facebook regarding the Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling that former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra must pay 10.028 billion baht in damages related to the government-to-government (G2G) rice sales scheme. He stated:
“What happened to Yingluck weakens executive power derived from the people, which will obstruct future policy-making for public benefit.”
Mr. Wiroj emphasized that the ruling would significantly impact future administrations’ ability to implement policies and allocate budgets for the people’s benefit. He argued that Yingluck, acting in a policy-making role, established subcommittees for oversight and was not negligent. The corruption occurred at the operational level, and legal responsibility should rest with those directly involved or those who gave unlawful orders.
He criticized the legal system for holding the executive accountable without proving involvement in or collusion with corrupt acts. This, he said, undermines the democratic principle of executive power. While similar corruption often occurs in procurement across ministries, it's rare to see ministers held liable as in Yingluck's case—raising concerns about selective law enforcement and inconsistencies in the justice system.
He further voiced concern over perceived “command orders” influencing legal outcomes, suggesting that when there is a directive to punish, it will be enforced regardless of the legal cost. Conversely, when there is an order to absolve, even obvious wrongdoing may be excused—damaging the rule of law.
Mr. Wiroj warned that this precedent may deter future elected governments from boldly pursuing policies or allocating public funds without seeking implicit approval from powerful interest groups. Without such approval, officials might fear politically motivated legal consequences like those faced by Yingluck.
Out of concern for the future of democracy and public interest, Mr. Wiroj declared his disagreement with the court’s decision against Yingluck.