The Latest: Thai court to issue arrest warrant for former PM

BANGKOK (AP) — The Latest on the court case against Thailand’s former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (all times local):

10 a.m.

Thailand’s Supreme Court says it will issue an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she failed to show up for a contentious trial in which she could face a 10-year prison term.

A judge read out a statement saying Yingluck’s lawyers had informed the court Yingluck could not attend the hearing because she was ill.

The judge says the court did not believe the explanation and would issue a warrant for her arrest.

A verdict had been expected Friday, in which Yingluck is facing charges of negligence linked to an ill-fated rice subsidy program that cost the state billions of dollars. Yingluck’s supporters believe the case is politically motivated.

The court postponed the verdict until Sept. 27.

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9 a.m.

Thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra have gathered outside Thailand’s Supreme Court despite calls by the military government and Yingluck herself for them to stay home because of security concerns.

The court is expected to deliver a verdict later Friday on a criminal negligence charge accusing her of wrongdoing in overseeing a rice subsidy program.

Prawit Pongkunnut is a rice farmer from the northeastern city of Nakhon Ratchasima. He said he came to the capital last night with 10 other farmers to show solidarity with Yingluck. He says they want to give Yingluck moral support “because she truly cared and helped us out.”

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8:20 a.m.

Thousands of police are deployed outside Thailand’s Supreme Court ahead of a verdict expected Friday in the trial of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Yingluck could face up to 10 years in prison if she is convicted of negligence in implementing a rice subsidy program that is alleged to have lost billions of dollars.

Her government was ousted in a coup in 2014 and the criminal case is considered an attempt to crush the powerful political machine founded by Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in an earlier coup.

Yingluck urged her supports to stay away from the court but thousands still were expected.

If convicted, Yingluck has the right to appeal.

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