CORRECTS - Thai junta orders ex-PM to pay fine over subsidy scheme

CORRECTS FINE AMOUNT

By Arun Saronchai

BANGKOK (AA) - Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra confirmed Friday that the country’s military government has ordered her to pay compensation over alleged corruption within her overthrown government's rice subsidy scheme.

Yingluck told reporters outside a courthouse that she was ordered two days ago to pay a 35 billion-baht ($997 million) fine and has 45 days to appeal the junta's order.

"This is not justice," she said tearfully. "We will pursue all legal avenues to appeal this."

Yingluck is currently facing criminal charges after the junta that deposed her government in a 2014 coup accused her of negligence and malfeasance with regard to the scheme that resulted in losses of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Other members of her cabinet are also facing corruption charges and may also be fined.

Prime minister-cum-junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha has previously said he would seize Yingluck's assets to repay some of the debt accrued under the scheme.

Shinawatra's family net worth is estimated by Forbes at $1.67 billion.