Old Thaksin cases could be revived retroactively, says Deputy PM
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam reiterated on Monday that he believes that the legal procedures against political office holders in criminal cases law could be applied retroactively against alleged wrongdoers, opening up the possibility that this could be applied to the outstanding cases against former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.
The Deputy PM cited examples of cases still before a court that could potentially be pursued in another court following the promulgation of the new law, regardless when the alleged wrongdoings were committed.
This does not compromise a defendant’s rights to justice, he said, contrasting it to penalties set against defendants which could not be made retroactively.
Asked whether Thaksin’s cases could be pursued retroactively, Wissanu replied that the legal principle suggested that it could.
Thaksin has some five cases under prosecution, and the Attorney General’s Office as well as the National Anti-Corruption Commission are reviving them following the court’s previous disposal of them upon his absence from court after he fled the country.
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