Thaksin seeks to revoke travel ban, confirms court appearance on September 9

Lawyer Winyat Chartmontri will file a request to revoke the travel ban for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra following his acquittal in the Section 112 case.

The Criminal Court acquitted Thaksin on Friday in a defamation case under Section 112 of the Penal Code and the Computer Crimes Act. Thaksin left the court, paying respects to the royal portrait at the entrance. 

He smiled and told the media, "Acquitted, acquitted," before leaving in a car.

Later, Winyat spoke to the press, explaining that the court acquitted Thaksin based on multiple reasons. He noted that the plaintiff's evidence did not meet the burden of proof required for the charges.

In a prior interview in South Korea, the court had considered the weight of the physical evidence and concluded that the interview took place, though the content presented in the video clip was only part of a larger conversation, and some parts were not included.

The defendant had denied the charges, and it was the plaintiff's responsibility to prove whether the video had been altered. The court accepted that the interview occurred but found it difficult to ascertain whether it referred to a person as specified under Section 112 of the Penal Code. 

The court applied grammatical rules, recognising that the subject mentioned by Thaksin did not specifically identify a person as per the statute.Winyat further explained that the court deemed the testimony of certain witnesses unreliable due to their political biases. Additionally, the court consulted foreign dictionaries to interpret the terms in question and concluded that the references did not point to the monarchy.

He added that the court acknowledged the defence witnesses' expertise and noted it was the plaintiff's responsibility to prove the authenticity and interpretation of the video, as Thaksin had consistently denied the charges.

When asked if there were concerns about an appeal, Winyat stated that the case had been dismissed and that any appeal would be the responsibility of the prosecutor. He emphasised that appeals should be based on legal points, not merely public pressure.

"Appeals should not be made just for the sake of it; they must focus on important legal matters," Winyat said. "I have handled many political cases, and not all of them result in an appeal. Society should not pressure the prosecutor to appeal as it did with Thaksin's case."

He also expressed hope that the courts would not be used as tools for political conflict.Winyat reflected that, as Thaksin’s lawyer, he was confident the court considered their cross-examination alongside the plaintiff’s evidence. Looking back, he was pleased with their work and mentioned they may share more details about the case soon.

He noted that Section 112 has become a point of interest due to its frequent use in political cases. “I do not mean that everyone facing a Section 112 case should be shown sympathy, but I want to separate each person’s actions and debates within the context of law and interpretation,” he said.

When asked about Thaksin’s travel plans, Winyat confirmed that, as the Section 112 case had been lifted, the defence team would file a request to revoke his travel ban soon. He added that Thaksin would not be travelling abroad anytime soon. 

Winyat also confirmed that Thaksin would attend the September 9 court hearing regarding his treatment at Police General Hospital. He dismissed claims that Thaksin was attempting to flee the country, urging people to use their reasoning when listening to such rumours.

“He has consistently fought the case and has not fled,” Winyat concluded.

(2025/08/22-00:00)