Thailand's Former Prime Minister Yingluck Flees Ahead Of Trial Verdict: Reports

Thailand's former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has fled the country, ahead of a trial ruling on charges of negligence, media reports said Friday. Yingluck failed to turn up in Bangkok's Supreme Court for the verdict on whether she mismanaged a rice-subsidy program that cost Thailand billions of dollars. If found guilty, she faced up to 10 years in prison and a permanent ban on participation in politics. The charges were brought by the junta that ousted Yingluck, a member of an influential Thai family, in 2014. The court has issued a warrant for Yingluck's arrest, despite her lawyer's claim that she was absent due to illness, and has set a new date of Sept. 27 for its verdict, media reports said.