Thai Court Clears Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra in Royal Defamation Case

In a significant legal development, a Thai court has dismissed a high-profile royal defamation case against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, citing a lack of evidence. Thaksin, aged 76, emerged from the courtroom with a smile, confirming the verdict that absolved him of charges linked to Thailand's stringent lese-majeste laws.

The dismissal is rooted in allegations that Thaksin violated these laws during a 2015 interview with foreign media, wherein he critiqued the 2014 coup that ousted his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. Al Jazeera reported that the Bangkok criminal court found the evidence insufficient, prompting celebrations among supporters clad in red, the symbolic color of Thaksin's party.

Thailand's interim Prime Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, acknowledged the verdict as a judicial matter, devoid of political ramifications. Despite the ruling, Thaksin faces further legal challenges, including a constitutional court ruling on his daughter's case and a Supreme Court hearing on his previous convictions. Thaksin, who denies all wrongdoing, spent years in exile before his 2023 return.

(With inputs from agencies.)