National —
On June 18th, 2024, at the Ratchadapisek Criminal Court, prosecutors from the Criminal Litigation Office charged former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code or Lèse-Majesté, following his 2015 interview with South Korea’s Chosun Media.
The interview dated back to May 21st, 2015, in Seoul, South Korea, deemed offensive to the monarchy, led to charges under both the Lèse-Majesté law and the Computer Crimes Act for disseminating false information.
In an update on February 6th, 2024, Mr. Prayut Phetkhun, spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, outlined the legal case against Thaksin. Despite the offenses occurring abroad, Thai jurisdiction applies under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Following his return to Thailand on August 22nd, 2023, and subsequent detention, Thaksin was informed of the allegations on January 17th, 2024. He denied the charges and requested fairness, leading to a detailed investigation by the Office of the Attorney General.
At the June 18th, 2024, hearing, the court accepted the case and informed Thaksin regarding the allegations.
However, Thaksin reportedly denied the allegations and was granted bail with a bond of 500,000 baht, on the condition that his passport be confiscated and he is prohibited from leaving the country.
The next evidence review hearing from both parties is scheduled for August 19th, 2024.
