BANGKOK — The commander of the Thai Army has charged former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with lese majeste for allegedly defaming the monarchy in a recent interview with a foreign news agency.

Gen. Udomdet Sitabutr assigned an officer from the staff judge advocate corps to file the charge on his behalf yesterday, said one of his aides, Gen. Chatchalerm Chalermsuk. 

Then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (center) presides over a parliamentary session at the House of Parliament in Bangkok, 24 March 2005.

Although Gen. Chatchalerm did not specify which of Thaksin’s comments were deemed libelous, it is believed the charge was filed over an interview Thaksin gave to Chosun Media while he was in South Korea on 22 May 2015.

In the interview, Thaksin said the military was helped by ‘traditional elites’ when it staged a coup d'etat against the government led by his sister on 22 May 2014. 

Due to the severe application of Thailand’s lese majeste law, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for insulting the monarchy, Khaosod English is unable to publish Thakin’s comments in full.

The controversial interview also spurred Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revoke Thaksin’s passports on 27 May.

Although Thaksin has lived in self-imposed exile since 2008, when a Thai court convicted him of corruption, he has continued to command significant influence from abroad as the unofficial leader of the Pheu Thai party and idol of the rural-based Redshirt movement. 

Royalists in Thailand have long-accused Thaksin of lacking respect for the country's revered king, and filed several lese majeste charges against the former leader. In October 2014, Watchara Petchthong, a former Democrat Party MP, filed a lese majeste charge against Thaksin for an interview he gave to an American journalist, which was later published in a book called Conversations With Thaksin.

Watchara also pressed charges against Matichon Group, Khaosod English’s parent company, for publishing a translation of the book in Thai, and against Suranand Vejjajiva, a close aide of Thaksin, for translating the text. 

Speaking about the army's decision to charge Thaksin with lese majeste yesterday, Gen. Chatchalerm said the military has a "duty to protect the institutions of the Nation, Religion, and Monarchy."

"Whenever someone insults any of the institutions, we have to take action, otherwise we may be guilty of dereliction of duty." 

He added, "Thai People know that if they violate the laws, they will punished. If they still do it, it means that they intend to commit the crime, and they have to accept punishment. It's like shooting someone dead. They have to answer for the crime, because they know it's illegal." 

Gen. Chatchalerm then warned Thai media agencies not to report the remarks Thaksin made in the interview. He also admitted that seeking Thaksin’s extradition would be difficult.

"You have to understand that there has to be an extradition treaty, and that country must have similar laws," Gen. Chatchalerm said, "Many countries don't have kings. So they don't have this laws." 

Thaksin has homes in Dubai, Hong Kong, and London, and is a citizen and passport-holder of Montenegro. 

Described by many historians as a staunch ally of the monarchy, the Thai army has previously filed several lese majeste charges against members of the public. 

In 2008, the army pressed a lese majeste charge against Daranee Charnchoensilpakul, a pro-Thaksin activist, after she made speeches that were deemed critical of the monarchy. The court later found Daranee guilty and sentenced her to 15 years in prison. 

The army also filed lese majeste against Somsak Jiamteerasakul, historian and prominent critic of the monarchy, in April 2011 for writing an open letter to Princess Chulabhorn, the King's youngest daughter. Somsak fled the country after the military staged a coup d'etat on 22 May 2014 and has been living in exile in Europe. 

BANGKOK — Thailand's military leader told reporters over lunch today that he felt inspired by Abraham Lincoln after watching a Hollywood film about the American president.

"I watched this film the other day — I have taught myself to start watching meaningful films — I watched it during my haircut. It's a film about President Lincoln," Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said, referring to Steven Spielberg’s 2012 historical drama about Lincoln's efforts to abolish slavery in the United States. 

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha eating with reporters at the Government House in Bangkok, 28 May 2015.

"He fought for the end of slavery," continued Gen. Prayuth. "It took so long before he could amend it. I like his words when he said, 'equality is not real in the world, but we can build equality by writing laws.' This is what we are doing, the laws that we are writing. I also like his other quote about how people's protests are not wrong; insurrection is wrong." 

Gen. Prayuth came to power by staging a coup d'etat against an elected government on 22 May 2014, following months of rival pro- and anti-government street protests. He has suspended democracy and clamped down on freedom of expression with the stated aim of healing Thailand's political divisions. Elections are tentatively scheduled for September 2016.

Known for his hot temper and volatile relationship with the press, Gen. Prayuth sought to don a more friendly disposition today by joining reporters at their cafeteria tent inside the Government House compound. 

The junta chairman commented on various topics during the meal, including his newspaper-reading habits.

"Nowadays I read newspapers. Whichever newspapers are credible, I accept their words and I clip out the articles. I will use them to improve my work."

He also said the junta is trying to solve numerous problems in the country, and has no intention to "bully" anyone.

When a reporter asked whether he has ever watched his weekly TV address, and whether he felt bored of the program, Gen. Prayuth replied, "I have, and I feel bored, but I want people to listen to something useful. I'd like to ask the people to endure me." 

ROI ET — Soldiers have disrupted two meetings organized by Pheu Thai politicians who were gathering in northeastern Thailand this week to discuss their legal defense for a pending impeachment trial.

Twenty former MPs were scheduled to meet at a hotel in Roi Et province today to discuss their legal strategy for a trial before the junta’s parliament, which is deliberating on whether to impeach 250 Pheu Thai politicians for their attempt to amend the constitution in 2012 to make the Senate a fully-elected body. If found guilty, the MPs would be banned from politics for five years. 

However, the group decided to "indefinitely postpone" today’s meeting after they arrived to see soldiers posted at the venue, said Chusak Sirinin, the head of Pheu Thai Party's legal team.

"Even though we tried to reach an understanding with them, we had a hard time talking to them," Chusak said. "Although we believe this is not a political meeting, for the sake of peace of mind for former MPs in the area and all relevant officials, we decided to postpone the meeting indefinitely." 

Political activities of any kind are still banned by the military junta, which came to power after staging a coup d'etat against a Pheu Thai-led government and dissolving the constitution on 22 May 2014. 

Yesterday, soldiers showed up to a similar meeting that was being held between Pheu Thai's legal team and 31 former MPs and other high-ranking politicians, including former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, at a hotel in Udon Thani province.

The meeting was allowed to go ahead on the condition that two soldiers were present during the discussion at all times. Reporters were not permitted to observe the discussion. 

Speaking after yesterday’s meeting, former PM Somchai said the meeting strictly concerned preparing the MPs for their trial.

"In this discussion, no politics was involved," said Somchai, who is a brother-in-law of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of Pheu Thai Party. "When the military negotiated for participation in the meeting, we gave them permission. We had nothing to hide. It was for the sake of peace of mind of both sides. We didn't do anything that posed a threat to national security." 

He added that he still regularly talks to Thaksin on the phone.

"I talk to him as a brother and relative," said Somchai. "We ask each other about what we go through in our daily lives. Thaksin has told me he's done with politics. He'd rather stay still. He already has grandchildren, so he prefers taking care of his grandchildren."

Thaksin has been living in exile since 2008, when he was convicted of corruption two years after being ousted in a military coup.  

Since the May 2014 military takeover, Thailand’s anti-graft agency has aggressively pursued impeachment trials against members of the former government. In January 2015, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) successfully lobbied for the impeachment of former PM Yingluck Shinawatra, resulting in a five year ban from politics.

Yingluck, a younger sister of Thaksin, was charged with dereliction of duty for allegedly neglecting to stop massive corruption in government’s rice program.

The NACC has also launched a criminal case against Yingluck in the Supreme Court for her alleged negligence. If found guilty, the former PM may be jailed up to ten years. 

Earlier this month, three top officials from Yingluck’s government were also impeached for their involvement in the rice program. 

Pheu Thai supporters say the impeachment rulings are an effort to curb the influence of the party, whose allies have won every national election for the past decade.