Thai Court Acquits Thanathorn in 2021 Royal Insult Case, Easing Return to Politics
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 28
Thai Court Acquits Thanathorn in 2021 Royal Insult Case, Easing Return to Politics
6 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 28
A Thai court threw out a royal defamation case against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, lifting a major obstacle to the banned opposition figure’s possible political comeback.
The charge stemmed from a 2021 Facebook livestream in which Thanathorn questioned the choice of a company linked to the monarchy to procure Covid-19 vaccine supplies.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said the acquittal ended one of the highest-profile cases tied to Thailand’s strict royal insult laws.
Thanathorn founded the now-disbanded Future Forward Party, making the ruling significant for the broader opposition camp as Thailand’s political battles continue.
Can one man's court victory revive a Thai reform movement crushed by the judiciary?
Is this acquittal a sign of democratic progress or a strategic move by Thailand's establishment?