Insult to majesty

Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin must stand trial

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra bows humbly in front of a portrait of the Thai king after returning from exile. A gesture that did not lead to the desired success; the authorities accuse him of lèse majesté.(Bild: APA/AFP)

Former Thai head of government Thaksin Shinawatra is to stand trial for lèse majesté. The case concerns an interview that Thaksin gave in South Korea in 2015. The former prime minister denied the accusations, saying he had repeatedly sworn allegiance to the monarchy after returning to his homeland from exile. 

Attorney General Amnat Chetcharoenrak had already made the decision to charge the 74-year-old on Monday, the "Bangkok Post" newspaper quoted a spokesman for the authority as saying on Wednesday.

Up to 15 years in prison
Last year, following Thaksin's return home after 15 years in exile, the judiciary reopened investigations into defamation of the royal family. Thailand punishes lèse majesté more severely than almost any other country: violations of the controversial Lèse-Majesté Act are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

The former prime minister, who was in power from 2001 to 2006, is also to stand trial on a second charge of computer crime. The accusation is that he endangered national security. According to the Bangkok Post, he has been summoned to appear before the public prosecutor's office on June 18.

Fled to Dubai in 2008
Billionaire Thaksin made his fortune in the telecommunications industry and was overthrown in a military coup in 2006 after five years as head of government. He was later accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for the monarchy. He fled the country in 2008 and has since lived mainly in Dubai to avoid a prison sentence.

He returned to Thailand in August 2023 - and was immediately imprisoned. Shortly afterwards, he was taken to the police hospital due to health problems. King Maha Vajiralongkorn eventually reduced Thaksin's prison sentence from eight years to just one year. In Thailand, convicts over the age of 70 can apply for parole or a royal pardon. In February, Thaksin was released from prison early on parole.

On the very day of his return to Thailand, the candidate of the Pheu Thai party he founded, real estate entrepreneur Srettha Thavisin, was elected as the new prime minister last year. Srettha is the successor to Prayuth Chan-ocha, who toppled the previous Pheu Thai government of Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra in a military coup in 2014.