Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s former prime minister and a key figure in the current government, was indicted on Tuesday on criminal charges of insulting the monarchy, ushering in a period that could plunge the country into uncertainty. Political crisis.
Thaksin is the most high-profile figure to be accused of violating the royal libel law, one of the toughest in the world. He posted bail of about $14,000, according to a Thai court, but the case could drag on for months.
The indictment is the latest sign that Thailand’s royalist military establishment is exerting its will. It allowed Thaksin to enter the country last year after 15 years of self-imposed exile and worked effectively with Thaksin, a long-time rival, to prevent new challengers from coming to power. Now analysts say it is threatening legal action against Thaksin, 74, to curb his political ambitions.
Although Thaksin holds no formal position in the current government, he is widely seen as having strong influence over the ruling coalition led by his party Pheu Thai. Many of his allies have cabinet appointments.
Current Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a Thaksin ally, also faces legal challenges that could lead to his suspension. He was accused of violating the constitution by appointing a convicted lawyer to his cabinet. The Constitutional Court heard Mr Sreeta’s case on Tuesday.
The court is also hearing a petition to dissolve the opposition Kadima Party, which won top seats in last year’s election but was blocked from forming a government. In January, a court ruled that the party violated the constitution by weakening royal libel laws.
The cases are a reminder of who controls the levers of power in Thailand. The country has long been dominated by a royalist military establishment that has used the judicial system or the armed forces to suppress any challengers.
Thaksin’s accusation stems from an interview he gave to the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. Nine years ago, he said in a speech that the Privy Council, the king’s top advisory body, helped orchestrate a coup in 2014. Thaksin’s lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree, told reporters that Thaksin had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Wynyard said Thaksin’s passport had been confiscated by authorities and he was now banned from traveling abroad.
Mr Thaksin has long been a boogeyman to conservatives. A charismatic telecoms billionaire, his populist policies galvanized voters in the rural north. Mr Thaksin was ousted in 2006 after about five years in office, and his “red shirt” supporters battled with an anti-Thaksin “yellow shirt” faction made up of royalists and urban elites for much of the 2000s. Time clashes on the streets of Bangkok.
Thaksin fled the country after being ousted but remained influential while living in Dubai and London. The party he founded has consistently won the most votes in every election – except last year, when the Progressive Party unexpectedly won.
Thaksin’s dramatic return to Thailand last year was seen by many as part of a deal with former rivals among the old conservatives to unseat Kadima.
Although he was sentenced to eight years in prison on corruption and abuse of power charges upon his return to Bangkok, he never served a day in jail. Shortly after his return, the king commuted his sentence to one year. In February this year, he was paroled after serving time in the hospital.
It was clear that Thaksin could not resist staying away from politics when he returned home. Last month, he held talks with Myanmar resistance groups, forcing Thailand’s foreign minister to clarify that the discussions were not part of the Thai government’s policy toward its neighbours. He reportedly met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim last month. He has also traveled across the country to woo Thai political bosses in an apparent bid to isolate the Kadima Party in the next election.
Then, last month, the attorney general announced he would prosecute Thaksin for violating the Royal Criticism Act. The law, which carries penalties of three to 15 years in prison, has been frequently used against activists, most recently against protesters who demonstrated in Bangkok in 2020.
Political uncertainty in Thailand has unnerved investors. According to Bloomberg, the stock index has fallen about 16% in the past year, making it the world’s worst-performing benchmark index during the same period.
The original complaint against Thaksin was lodged in 2015 by General Udomdej Sitabutr, then deputy defense minister in the military junta that seized power in a coup a year earlier. The authorities issued an arrest warrant for Thaksin, but Thaksin had emigrated abroad by then.
