29-5-2024 (BANGKOK) The Attorney-General’s Office (OAG) has announced its decision to indict former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on charges of lese majeste and computer crime offenses. The charges stem from a controversial interview Thaksin gave in Seoul, South Korea, in 2015, during which he allegedly made remarks deemed harmful to the Thai monarchy.
Prayut Phetcharakhun, the spokesman for the OAG, revealed on Wednesday morning that Attorney-General Amnat Chetcharoenrak had formally decided to proceed with the indictment against Thaksin on both charges, following the recommendations put forth by the police. The decision was reached on Monday, setting the stage for legal proceedings against the former prime minister.
According to Prayut, the computer crime charge against Thaksin stems from his alleged input of information into a computer system, which was considered a threat to national security. This charge is in addition to the lese majeste allegation, which carries significant weight in Thailand’s legal system.
However, the indictment process faced an initial hurdle on Wednesday, as Thaksin’s legal team submitted a medical certificate indicating that the former premier had contracted COVID-19 and required rest until next Monday. Consequently, they sought to postpone the hearing for the indictment to June 15th.
Responding to the request, prosecutors have ordered the paroled former prime minister to appear at the OAG at 9 a.m. on June 18th to undergo the indictment process.
The Attorney-General’s decision comes after a prolonged period of deliberation. On April 10th, Amnat had initially postponed the decision until this Wednesday, pending an additional interrogation report from the police.
Since Thaksin’s parole on February 18th, the investigation into the lese majeste and computer crime charges has been spearheaded by the Technology Crime Suppression Division, which approved his temporary release.
The allegations against Thaksin stem from an interview he gave to South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper in 2015. During the interview, he allegedly defamed the Thai monarchy by claiming that privy councilors had supported the 2014 coup that ousted the government of his younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra.
According to police, Thaksin’s comments during the interview violated Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law, as well as the Computer Crime Act.
