The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders will hear defence witnesses in another six trials which are scheduled during the first half of the year. The last trial is scheduled for July 21 and the court is expected to give its verdict not long after its conclusion, Yingluck’s lawyer Norawich Larlang said.

If found guilty, the former prime minister could face up to 10 years in prison.

The trial has been continuing for more than two years since the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in 2014 accused Yingluck of negligence in failing to address corruption in her government’s rice subsidy scheme, in violation of Article 157 of the Criminal Code. The scheme allegedly incurred almost Bt200 billion in losses to the state budget.

The former prime minister and her witnesses have faced eight trials over past years, with the latest taking place earlier this month.

Besides the criminal lawsuit, the current government also issued an administrative order calling for the former prime minister to pay compensation of nearly Bt35 billion, which accounts for 20 per cent of the claimed total loss of Bt178 billion. The other 80 per cent is considered the responsibility of thousands of other officials who worked on the scheme.

If Yingluck does not obey the order, the authority could take administrative measures to seize all of her assets. Her legal team is currently appealing the order. Pheu Thai politicians maintain the case is not normal and Yingluck was a victim of political conflict.

Another Yingluck lawyer, Noppadon Laothong, says the administrative case is still at its infancy and it could take years before the Court deliver its verdict.

Critics have expressed concern that the lawsuits against Yingluck could scare future governments and prevent them from adopting subsidy policies. The programmes were not meant to make a profit but were intended to help out farmers, they said.

The controversial rice-pledging scheme was Pheu Thai Party’s flagship campaign policy in 2011. It presented farmers with a lucrative deal, offering Bt15,000 for a tonne of rice, twice as much as the market price.

The anti-Shinawatra camp criticised the scheme, saying it was another populist policy launched by Pheu Thai to win votes and neglected consequences harmful to the country in the long term.