Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (Source: gettyimages.com) The Criminal Court of Thailand on October 12 issued an arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after he did not show up for the first hearing for a defamation case filed against him by the army.
Maj Gen Sarayuth Klinmahom, Director of the Office of the Judge-Advocate of the Royal Thai Army sued Thaksin for defaming the army during his interviews in the Republic of Korea from May 19-22.
The court accepted the lawsuit for further proceedings and set October 12 for him to show up for witness examination.
However, only his lawyer was present and testified to the court that Thaksin could not be present since he is in political exile, residing in a foreign country.
In 2008, Thaksin was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison by the Supreme Court for abuse of power in the sale of state land to his then-wife when he was prime minister.-VNA
