Thaksin remains calm on first day of prosecution hearings in lèse majesté case

TUESDAY, JULY 01, 2025

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was not stressed during the first day of prosecution witness hearings at the Criminal Court on Tuesday in the lèse majesté case.

Thaksin arrived at the Criminal Court in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district for the initial hearing, which runs from July 1 to 3. 

Public prosecutors have charged Thaksin under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and the 2007 Computer Crime Act, following an interview he gave to South Korean media in 2015, where he allegedly made remarks deemed offensive to the monarchy.

At 12.10pm, Thaksin and his daughter, Pintongta Shinawatra Kunakornwong, exited the court through a side door. Reports indicate that the first witness was a police investigator from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), who testified against Thaksin.

Thaksin’s lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree, briefly commented that he was unable to provide details of the case as the court proceedings were closed to the public. He added that the court had instructed the parties involved not to disclose any details from the hearings, as doing so could harm the case. 

Winyat confirmed, however, that he could only state the number of witnesses, but would not reveal their identities. He also confirmed that he could not comment on the investigation into the interview in South Korea, as it was part of the closed proceedings.

Regarding Thaksin’s departure from the court, Winyat explained that Thaksin had gone to have a meal but would return to the court at 1.30pm to continue attending the witness hearings. Winyat noted that Thaksin appeared relaxed and showed no signs of stress during the process.

When asked whether Thaksin would give any interviews to the media, Winyat stated that Thaksin would not be speaking to the press on that day.

Thaksin remains calm on first day of prosecution hearings in lèse majesté case

Outside the court, a group of supporters wearing red shirts gathered to show their encouragement for Thaksin, holding up signs and pictures near the court’s fence. They stated their intent to support him as he remained their beloved prime minister.

Meanwhile, a separate group of individuals, in opposition to Thaksin, wore shirts emblazoned with the slogan "We will not lose even a single inch of land," alongside the Thai national flag. 

They stood outside to symbolically express their disagreement and hoped that Thaksin would see the message on their shirts. Court officers maintained strict order throughout the proceedings.