Prosecution of the lèse majesté case against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been postponed, after the attorney-general ordered further investigation into the case today, in response to Thaksin’s appeal for justice.
Thaksin, who was released on conditional parole yesterday, reported to the Office of the Attorney-General this morning (OAG), to be informed of Attorney-General Amnat Chetcharoenrak’s decision, after he had been notified of the lèse majesté charges against him by public prosecutors in January.
Thaksin arrived at the OAG in a wheel chair in the company of his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn, who is also Pheu Thai party leader, and police from the Technology Crime Suppression Division, which has taken over from the Corrections Department in the handling of the case.
OAG spokesman Prayut Bejraguna told the media that the attorney-general had assigned Wiput Boonparsart, director-general of the Criminal Cases Office, to handle Thaksin’s lèse majesté case.
He said that the attorney-general had considered Thaksin’s appeal for justice and ordered additional investigation into the case, so the case has been postponed until there is a decision by the attorney-general on whether to proceed to court with the case.
Following the attorney-general’s order, Thaksin was released on bail and ordered to meet with the prosecutors in charge on April 10th.
Thaksin is accused of making a remark, deemed offensive to the monarchy, during his interview with South Korean media in Seoul on May 21st, 2015.
