Thailand Court Delivers Verdict in Ex-PM Thaksin Royal Insult Case

Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra faces a pivotal court verdict on charges of royal defamation under the lese-majeste law, which carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years. The charge stems from a 2015 interview he gave during his self-imposed exile, discussing the 2014 military coup that ousted his sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Despite no official government role, Thaksin remains a dominant figure in Thai politics, and the ruling will test his fraught relationship with the monarchy and royalist establishment. Observers note that an acquittal could reaffirm Thaksin's loyalty to the monarchy and ease political tensions, while a guilty verdict might ignite renewed conflicts and impact other related cases involving his family, including his daughter and current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The lese-majeste law has been criticized by activists as a tool to suppress dissent, though royalists defend it as essential for protecting the monarchy. Thaksin denies any wrongdoing and has expressed confidence ahead of the verdict, with both sides retaining the option to appeal.