Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was indicted Tuesday for allegedly insulting the monarchy during a 2015 interview with foreign media but was granted bail, avoiding pre-trial detention.
The influential political figure was indicted by the attorney general for violating the country's lese-majeste law. A criminal court in Bangkok accepted the indictment and granted bail as sought by Thaksin.
During the interview that appeared in South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper, Thaksin criticized members of the king's privy council for supporting the 2014 coup that toppled a caretaker government following the ouster of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister.
The ruling Pheu Thai Party of current Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is the third incarnation of a political party founded by Thaksin.
The 74-year-old served as Thailand's prime minister from February 2001 until September 2006, when he was toppled by a military coup while visiting the United States. While in self-imposed exile, he was convicted in absentia of corruption and other charges, receiving an eight-year prison sentence.
Upon his return to Thailand on Aug. 22 last year, Thaksin was imprisoned but promptly transferred to the police hospital after complaining of chest tightness and high blood pressure.
After Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn reduced the eight-year prison sentence to one year, he served six months of the sentence at the police hospital and was released on parole on Feb. 18.
Under the lese-majeste law, insulting the monarchy can result in imprisonment of up to 15 years.
