KUALA LUMPUR – Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been charged with defaming the monarchy and could face a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in jail under the country’s lese-majeste laws.
He also faces a charge under Thailand’s Computer Crimes Act for “inputting information” deemed a threat to national security into a computer system, Bangkok Post reported.
His lese-majeste charge was over an interview with a South Korean newspaper in 2015, in which he claimed privy councillors – a body whose members are appointed by the king – had supported the coup in the previous year which ousted the government of his sister Yingluck Shinawatra. The privy council also acts as the adviser to the Thai monarchy.
Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand last year after living in self-exile in Dubai for 15 years. The two-time prime minister was ousted in a 2006 coup.
He was taken into custody on corruption and abuse of power charges but served time in a hospital instead of prison for medical reasons, and was released on parole in February.
His daughter, Paetongtarn, now heads his party Pheu Thai. – June 18, 2024