Former Thai PM Thaksin Indicted for 2015 Royal Insult

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been formally indicted for defaming the monarchy over comments made in 2015, a charge that carries a potential 15-year prison sentence. Thaksin, a significant figure in Thai politics and the de facto leader of the ruling Pheu Thai party, was ousted in a 2006 military coup and only recently returned from exile. Critics argue that Thailand's strict lese-majeste laws are misused to suppress political dissent, a claim supported by the spike in charges following youth-led protests in 2020 and 2021. Thaksin's indictment coincides with other high-stakes legal battles that could destabilize the country's political landscape, including a petition to disqualify current Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Thaksin's lawyer confirmed that he is prepared to engage in the judicial process and has requested bail. This development underscores ongoing tensions between Thaksin's political faction and Thailand's conservative establishment.