Thaksin appears at the Criminal Court for a hearing on charges of lese-majeste (insulting the royal family)
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra made an appearance at the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Tuesday, marking the continuation of his lese-majeste trial. The proceedings, held behind closed doors, saw the examination of three prosecution witnesses, with four more scheduled for the following day and three more on Thursday.
Thaksin, 75, arrived at the court at 9.18am using a side elevator. His daughter, Pintongta Shinawatra, who had accompanied him to court in the morning, left the premises after learning of the Constitutional Court's decision to suspend Thaksin's daughter Paetongtarn from the prime minister's position pending a ruling in an ethics case brought by a group of senators.
The first witness to testify on Tuesday was an officer from the police Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), who is also the complainant in the case. Thaksin personally questioned prosecution witnesses during the hearing, a fact confirmed by his lawyer, Mr Winyat.
The case against Thaksin Shinawatra is related to remarks he made in a 2015 interview, where he alleged that privy councillors supported the 2014 coup that removed his younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, from power. Thaksin has denied all charges and is free on bail.
The prosecution has been conducting witness examinations since July 1, 2025. In total, the prosecution will call 10 witnesses. The entire trial schedule includes seven hearings. After the prosecution finishes, the defense will present 14 witnesses over four hearings starting from July 15.
The last hearing is scheduled for July 23, but the trial might conclude earlier depending on the pace of proceedings. Thaksin returned after a lunch break at 1.30pm for the afternoon session. A vehicle picked him up from the side entrance of the building and exited through Gate 7 of the Civil Court around noon.
Thaksin's brother-in-law, former PM Somchai Wongsawat, was present outside the Criminal Court to offer moral support but is not a defense witness. The final hearing is scheduled for July 23, although proceedings may conclude earlier.
Mr Winyat, Thaksin's lawyer, stated that it was premature to speculate about the defense's confidence in winning the case, as they must complete the witness examination first. The trial is being held under tight security, with the court closed to spectators and the media.
The current status of the lese-majeste case against Thaksin Shinawatra is that the prosecution phase is nearly complete, with 10 witnesses examined or scheduled. The defense phase, involving 14 witnesses, will begin mid-July, aiming to finish by July 23, 2025. Thaksin left the court building at 4.10pm in a bronze Mercedes-Benz.
The lese-majeste trial for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra continues to unfold, as it is situated within the broader context of policy-and-legislation and politics. The trial, held behind closed doors due to security precautions, has seen witnesses from the police Technology Crime Suppression Division, as well as other prosecution witnesses, being examined. The defence phase, consisting of 14 witnesses, is set to begin mid-July as part of the general-news landscape, potentially concluding on the scheduled final hearing on July 23.
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