BANGKOK, Feb 19 (TNA) – Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, released on parole yesterday has reported to public prosecutors as scheduled today after he filed a written petition for fair treatment in the lese majeste case related to his comments made in Seoul in May 2015.
After being released on parole on Sunday, Thaksin still faces further legal woes as public prosecutors consider indicting him for insulting the monarchy during an interview he made in Seoul. The case proceedings had already begun before his return to Thailand in August last year, the Attorney-General’s Office announced earlier this month.
He was ordered to meet with publice prosectors to hear the charges on Monday. During the 30-minute meeting he pleaded for justice and submitted documents, accordign to Attorney-general Office’s Spokesman Prayut Phetkhun.
The Attorney-general viewed that Investigators had not completed additional inquiries and the investigation into whether Thaksin violated the royal insult law was still ongoing, Prayut said in the press briefing.
As a result, the decision on whether to proceed with prosecuting him could not be made for the time being, Prayut said, therefore, temporary release was allowed for Thaksin, with a surety of a bank deposit account worth 500,000 baht. Thaksin is scheduled to meet with the prosecutors again to hear the order on April 10.
In the same press briefing, Preecha Sudsanguan, Attorney-general Office’s Director-general of criminal case, said Thaksin appeared to be seriously ill as he used wheelchair and could barely talk.
After having served a six-month sentence in hospital detention, the 74-year-old tycoon left Police General Hospital on Sunday and returned to his Chan Song La residence in Bangkok’s Bang Phat district for the first time in 17 years.
Thaksin, convicted of abuse of power and graft lived abroad for 15 years in self-exile to avoid jail. His return to the home country coincided with Pheu Thai Party returning to government. -819 (TNA)
