On Friday, August 22, 2025, the political landscape in Thailand was jolted by a high-profile courtroom drama: the Bangkok Criminal Court acquitted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of royal defamation, a charge that could have sent the 76-year-old billionaire to prison for up to 15 years. The verdict, which Thaksin himself revealed to waiting journalists as simply "Dismissal," was confirmed by his lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree, and later by the court in an official news release, according to the Associated Press and BBC.
The case revolved around Thailand's notorious lese majeste law, which criminalizes defaming, insulting, or threatening the monarchy. The law, among the harshest of its kind globally, carries a penalty of three to fifteen years behind bars. Over the past five years, it has become an increasingly potent weapon in the hands of authorities, with the legal aid group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reporting that more than 270 people—many of them student activists—have been charged since early 2020. Critics, as noted by BBC, argue that the law is frequently deployed to stifle dissent and punish political opponents.
The roots of Thaksin's case stretch back a decade. In 2015, during an interview with journalists in South Korea, he commented on the 2014 military coup that ousted his sister, then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Thaksin suggested that "some people in the palace" and members of the privy council—the body advising the Thai king—had played a role in orchestrating the coup. While the lese majeste statute technically applies only to the king, queen, heir, or regent, the law's interpretation has broadened in recent years to encompass almost any perceived slight against the monarchy as an institution. There have even been prosecutions for remarks about the late King Bhumibol's dog and a 16th-century king, illustrating just how widely the law can be wielded.
Yet, in Thaksin's case, the judges opted for a strict, literal reading. The court's news release explained that the prosecution's witnesses and evidence were "too weak to support conviction." The account of the interview presented by prosecutors was deemed incomplete and lacking in context, and crucially, the remarks did not clearly target then-King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The court also questioned the impartiality of the prosecution's witnesses, noting their history of political protest against Thaksin, which "left open the possibility they may have unfairly interpreted his words," as summarized by AP and BBC.
Thaksin, who smiled and thanked his legal team after the verdict, expressed relief and said he was now able to "work for the country's benefit," according to his lawyer Winyat Chatmontree. The outcome brought a rare moment of respite for the Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thai politics for decades but has also been a perennial target of the country's conservative establishment.
The charge against Thaksin was initially filed in 2016 under a military government, but because he was living in exile at the time, legal proceedings stalled. It was only after his dramatic return to Thailand in August 2023—after 15 years abroad—that the case was revived. That return, as BBC noted, was itself shrouded in intrigue, with speculation swirling about a "grand bargain" between Thaksin and his old adversaries in the establishment. While Thaksin has always denied any deal, many observers believed his return was possible only because he agreed to keep a low profile and steer clear of overt political activity. But for a man as flamboyant and influential as Thaksin, staying out of the limelight has proved difficult.
Upon his return, Thaksin was quickly sentenced to eight years in prison on separate corruption and abuse of power charges. However, he was transferred almost immediately to a hospital on medical grounds—a move that drew public skepticism and accusations of preferential treatment. After six months in a hospital suite, Thaksin was granted a royal pardon and parole, walking free without ever spending a night in a prison cell.
Since then, Thaksin has maintained a conspicuous presence, traveling the country and offering political commentary that has sometimes rattled the conservative establishment—especially the army and the courts, long considered the monarchy's staunchest defenders. His influence over the ruling Pheu Thai party remains strong; he is widely believed to be its principal funder and decision-maker.
The Shinawatra saga took another turn when Thaksin's daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, became Thailand's youngest-ever prime minister last year, following the disqualification of businessman Srettha Thavisin by the Constitutional Court. Paetongtarn, a self-described "daddy's girl," has openly embraced her father's guidance. Her tenure, however, has not been without controversy. She was suspended by the Constitutional Court on July 1, 2025, after being accused of ethical violations related to a phone call with Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, during which she referred to him as "uncle" and criticized her own army commander regarding a sensitive border dispute. The court is set to decide next week whether she will be permanently removed from office.
The Shinawatra family's dual leadership—father as kingmaker, daughter as prime minister—has drawn criticism from the opposition, who accuse them of blurring the lines between party and family interests. The family's close ties to Cambodia's Hun Sen have further fueled nationalist concerns, especially in light of the ongoing territorial tensions between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Thaksin's legal troubles are far from over. Next month, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders will rule on another case against him, this time related to his transfer to a hospital instead of serving time in prison. The outcome could have significant political ramifications: if convicted, Thaksin faces imprisonment once again, and his party could be forced to call an early election. With Pheu Thai's popularity waning after a rocky year in government, such a scenario could spell trouble for the Shinawatra dynasty.
Thailand's political system has long been characterized by sudden upheavals. Since the 1930s, the country has experienced more than a dozen military coups and, in recent years, a growing number of judicial interventions. Courts have ousted four prime ministers and dissolved three major political parties in the last two decades, often on technical grounds. These moves, as AP and BBC both note, have disproportionately targeted those seen as challengers to the traditional royalist establishment.
For now, Friday's acquittal offers a temporary reprieve for Thaksin and his allies. But with more court battles looming and the fate of his daughter hanging in the balance, the Shinawatra family's future—and Thailand's political stability—remain anything but certain.
