A Bangkok court has cleared former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of a lese majeste charge tied to remarks he made in a South Korean newspaper interview a decade ago.
The case, which carried a possible 15-year jail term, was first raised in 2016 by the military government during his exile and reopened last year following his return.
The charge stemmed from Thaksin’s claim that the 2014 coup which ousted his sister Yingluck’s government was influenced by palace-linked figures.
Judges ruled the remarks did not directly mention the king, queen, heir, or regent, which are the only roles covered under the law.
Thailand’s lese majeste law has long been criticised for its wide interpretation, with past prosecutions targeting comments ranging from royal pets to historic monarchs. Human rights groups argue it has become a tool to silence critics and opponents.
Thaksin’s acquittal comes at a time of political pressure on his family, as his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, currently suspended from office, faces her own court case that could remove her from the post of prime minister.
The verdict offers temporary relief to the Shinawatra clan, which has remained a central force in Thai politics for years.