By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
FORMER Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been acquitted of royal defamation charges, removing a major legal threat to the influential political dynasty that has shaped Thailand’s politics for more than two decades.
The 76-year-old leader, who returned from exile last year, had faced up to 15 years in prison under Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté laws, which criminalize criticism of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and the royal family.
After a two-month trial, the court ruled in his favor, offering him temporary relief from the political and legal battles surrounding his family.
Thaksin and his allies have long been at odds with Thailand’s powerful pro-military and pro-monarchy establishment, which regards their populist movement as a challenge to the country’s traditional social hierarchy.
Despite the acquittal, the Shinawatra dynasty faces fresh uncertainty. Thaksin’s daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has been suspended from office and awaits a crucial Constitutional Court ruling next week that could determine her political future.
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