Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has denied insulting the monarchy, following media reports that the authorities were seeking to charge him with lese-majesty.
“I have no intention to offend the institution at all,’’ Thaksin tweeted on Monday in Bankok.
“I do not know the individual in question, I will seek legal actions against anyone who involved me in their defamation against the monarchy,’’ he said.
It is unclear which individual or incident Thaksin is referring to, but he was accused of defaming the monarchy by mentioning the country’s regent in a 2015 interview with a South Korean media outlet.
Thailand’s strict lese-majesty law prohibits criticism, defamation, threats and insults made against the king, queen, heir apparent or regent.
Perpetrators face up to 15 years in prison per offence, if found guilty.
Speaking at a news conference upon beginning his new post as Attorney-General on Friday, Khemchai Chutiwong said his predecessor had decided that there was enough evidence to charge Thaksin.
The authorities had not charged Thaksin because his presence is required, but Khemchai said it was now up to police to locate him to proceed with the charge and extradition request.
In 2008, Shinawatra was sentenced to two years in prison over land corruption.
He fled Thailand shortly before the verdict and never returned.
Thaksin is known to live in self-imposed exile in Dubai and London.
His daughters’ social media posts indicated he was in London in September before moving back to Dubai last week.
Thailand does not have an extradition treaty with the United Arab Emirates.
