Public prosecutors told the court that they had been harassed on court premises by Mingmongkol Sonakul and Thas Wanphraruehas on October 7, 2016, at a hearing in the case against the former premier.

Yingluck is facing trial for alleged negligence of her official duties while implementing the controversial rice-pledging scheme during her administration.

Mingmongkol is a movie director, while Thas was a former House subcommittee member during Yingluck’s tenure in office.

Mingmongkol and Thas yesterday told the court that they stared at public prosecutors after the court session prior to a lunch break but did not take photographs as alleged by the plaintiffs.

The court said there was sufficient evidence for the court to make a judgment whether Mingmongkol and Thas behaved improperly while on court premises.

Mingmongkol said he would abide by a ruling on the contempt-of-court allegation and hoped that the case would not be abused for political gain. Mingmongkol said he would decide after the verdict whether to attend court again to support Yingluck.

In the rice-pledging case, Yingluck is facing charges of negligence of official duty allegedly resulting in damages of more than Bt500 billion to state coffers. The former premier also faces a civil liability lawsuit in connection with the scheme.