National—
On February 6th, 2024, Mr. Prayut Phetkhun, the spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, publicly revealed details regarding a legal case involving Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, on Section 112 of the Criminal Code for alleged offenses against the monarchy, dated back to May 21st, 2015, in Seoul, South Korea.
Following the Thai police investigation, two charges were filed against Thaksin including an offense under Section 112 and a violation of the Computer Crimes Act for disseminating false information.
Despite the offenses occurring outside the Kingdom of Thailand, they fell under Thai jurisdiction, as per the Criminal Procedure Code. Consequently, the Office of the Attorney General was responsible for prosecuting the case.
Due to Thaksin’s fugitive status, the Office of the Attorney General instructed investigators to issue an arrest warrant. Subsequently, investigating officers requested the Criminal Court for an arrest warrant, which was issued within the 15-year statute of limitations since the incident on May 21st, 2015. Thaksin’s return to Thailand on August 22nd, 2023, led to his detention in connection with other criminal cases.
On January 17th, 2024, Mr. Kunthanit Mongkolsawat, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and relevant agencies informed Thaksin of the allegations. However, Thaksin denied the charges and submitted a letter requesting fairness. Kunthanit forwarded Thaksin’s statement to investigating officers for inclusion in the investigation.
Currently, the case is under consideration by the Office of the Attorney General, it will be presented to the Supreme Prosecutors for opinions and further legal actions. This update provides the background of the case, which has drawn attention from various political groups and Thai people. Despite ongoing scrutiny, the legal process continues under Thai law, stated the spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General.
Thaksin remains in a hospital in Thailand in a controversial case while many have protested and called for him to return to prison or for officials to give greater transparency on his alleged medical conditions that have him in a hospital.
