Thaksin faces probe for royal defamation

Thailand on Wednesday revoked two passports of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as it launched a probe whether charges could be slapped against him for royal defamation over a recent interview that “affects national security and reputation”.

An investigation is underway and criminal charges could be pressed against the self-exiled Thaksin, the Foreign Ministry said. “The content of what Thaksin Shinawatra said in an interview affects national security and the reputation and honour of Thailand,” the ministry said in its statement. It was not immediately clear which interview was being referred to. The revocation of passports became effective yesterday and was announced on the Foreign Ministry’s website on Wednesday. Thaksin made rare comments to overseas media last week as the Thai military marked a year in power.

He also spoke to South Korean media about who he thought was behind last year’s military coup last year that ousted his younger sister and former premier Yingluck Shinawatra shortly after she was removed as premier by a controversial court ruling.