Court rejects petition over Thaksin’s political influence

The Constitutional Court on Friday rejected a petition seeking to bar billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra from interfering in the ruling Pheu Thai Party and colluding with it to overthrow the constitutional monarchy.
All nine judges agreed that the petition, filed by lawyer Teerayut Suwankesorn, did not meet the court’s conditions and criteria. The petition alleged Thaksin was attempting to undermine the monarchy and influence Pheu Thai.
The court also voted 7-2 on the claim that Thaksin was benefiting Cambodia through a plan to jointly utilise gas and other resources in the disputed maritime area between the two countries.
Thaksin, the father of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has consistently denied exerting influence over Pheu Thai since his return from 15 years of self-imposed exile in 2023.
This rejection follows the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) dismissal of Mr Teerayut’s petition, which was based on Section 49 of the charter. This section states that no person may exercise rights or freedoms to overthrow the democratic regime with the King as Head of State, allowing anyone aware of such acts to petition the attorney general for a motion to the Constitutional Court.
Since serving a royally-commuted jail term, Thaksin, 75, has been campaigning for Pheu Thai in local elections while making policy proposals to the government to revive the country’s ailing economy.
Being under the control or influence of a non-party member is grounds for dissolution under Thai law. 
Earlier this year, the charter court ordered the dissolution of Thailand’s largest opposition party, Move Forward, for its election campaign to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste law. The party won the general election last year but was prevented from forming a government by pro-royalist and military-backed groups that then aligned with former rival Pheu Thai.