The future of convicted former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who is expected to be granted parole soon, remains uncertain, because he has now been charged with violating royal defamation laws during an interview he gave in Seoul in 2015.
Prayuth Pecharakun, spokesman for the attorney general’s office, revealed today that police filed lèse majesté charges against Thaksin late last month. Prosecutors will wait for police to complete their investigation before deciding whether to proceed with the case against Thaksin, Prayuth said.
“On January 17, senior officials from the Office of the Attorney General and the police notified Thaksin about the allegation,” the spokesman said. Thaksin denies the charge and has written to the attorney general asking for fair treatment, according to Prayuth.
Thaksin, already convicted on corruption charges, is now receiving treatment at the Police General Hospital, citing serious ailments and an urgent need for professional medical care. His daughter, Paetongtarn, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai party, claims that her father is very sick but will survive.
Earlier, the Corrections Department stated that, given his age and health condition, Thaksin is eligible for parole under new regulations that are going to take effect soon, probably this month. If the Attorney General decides to proceed with the lèse majesté case against Thaksin, however, as soon as he is granted parole, police will arrest him and take him back into custody.
Speaking at the same press conference, Naken Thongpraiwan, deputy spokesman for the Office of the Attorney-General, said that the Corrections Department has agreed to the investigators’ request to detain Thaksin if he is freed on parole.
