The Criminal Court has granted bail to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra after he was formally indicted on charges of lèse majesté and violation of the Computer Crime Act on June 16, 2024. Thaksin, who has returned to Thailand after a period of self-imposed exile, had to surrender his passport as a condition of his bail.
The court agreed to release Thaksin on a Bt500,000 bail bond, citing his advanced age, his denial of the charges, his previous bail status during the investigation, and his stable residence with his family. The public prosecutor did not oppose the bail request.
To prevent any potential attempts to flee, interfere with evidence or witnesses, or obstruct judicial proceedings, the court confiscated Thaksin’s passport and barred him from leaving the country without prior court approval. The immigration police have been informed of this restriction.
Thaksin, through his lawyer Winyat Chartmontri, skipped a reporting appointment at the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to personally acknowledge the charges against him. Instead, he proceeded directly to the court, where he was formally indicted for comments made to South Korean Chosun media in 2015. In that interview, Thaksin accused the Privy Council, the military, and Suthep Thaugsuban, leader of the now-defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee, of orchestrating the coup that ousted his sister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.
These remarks were deemed insulting to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, leading to the lèse majesté charge. Thaksin has maintained his confidence in defending himself and described the prosecution as the “toxic fruit” of a military coup.
The Attorney General’s office initially decided to charge Thaksin with lèse majesté on May 29, but his indictment was postponed until June due to his recovery from COVID-19. This latest development follows years of legal and political battles, including a decision by former AG Pongniwat Yuthapanboripan to indict Thaksin in September 2016, a process halted by Thaksin’s exile.
After his return to Thailand last August and subsequent treatment at the Police General Hospital, authorities formally notified Thaksin of the lèse majesté charge on January 17, 2024. This case continues to be a focal point of political and legal discourse in Thailand.
