Bangkok, Thailand — In a landmark decision, a Thai court has acquitted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of a royal defamation charge, a verdict that could have resulted in a 15-year prison sentence. The ruling is a significant moment for the Shinawatra family, which has been at the center of Thailand’s tumultuous political landscape for more than two decades.
The case against Thaksin, 76, stemmed from comments he made to journalists in South Korea in 2015. According to Winyat, the court found the prosecution’s evidence to be insufficient and noted that the account of the interview lacked context, suggesting that the complaint against Thaksin may have been politically motivated.
Thaksin, smiling as he left the courtroom, simply responded with “Dismissal” to a flurry of questions from journalists. The ruling comes as his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is the current Prime Minister, faces her own legal challenges. The case against her alleges a serious ethical breach related to a leaked phone call with a Cambodian official.
Thaksin himself is also not entirely in the clear. He still faces another legal case, with the Supreme Court set to rule in September on whether his six-month stay in a hospital in 2024 should count as time served for a previous corruption sentence. Twice elected as prime minister in the early 2000s, Thaksin was overthrown in a military coup in 2006. Despite having no official role, he is widely seen as the influential figure behind the current government.
Analysts say that while the acquittal offers a temporary reprieve, the ongoing legal battles and political turmoil highlight the deep-seated power struggle between the Shinawatra-aligned populist movement and Thailand’s pro-military, pro-monarchy establishment.