STORY: :: A court acquits Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a royal insult case:: August 22, 2025:: Bangkok, Thailand:: Winyat Chartmontree, Thaksin Shinawatra's lawyer"The court reached a verdict to dismiss the case against the defendant who is former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. There were many reasons for the acquittal, but in short, it all comes down to the fact that there was insufficient evidence from the plaintiff.":: Thailand's lese-majeste law imposes up to 15 years of jail for anyone defaming the royal family."The court sees that the interview has happened. But to answer whether the defendant referred to individuals protected under the 112 law, the court based their deliberation on the grammatical aspects - the subject, verb, and adjectives. They deemed that the subject spoken of in the interview did not refer to those protected under the 112 law."Thaksin's lawyer Winyat Chartmontree said to the media that there were many reasons for the acquittal "but in short, it all comes down to the fact that there was insufficient evidence from the plaintiff."The case was brought by the royalist military alleging Thaksin, 76, had violated Thailand's strict lese-majeste law during a 2015 interview with foreign media while in self-imposed exile.Thaksin, who appeared at the court with a yellow necktie, the colour associated with Thailand's monarchy, had denied wrongdoing. He has repeatedly pledged allegiance to the king, who is enshrined in the Thai constitution as being in a position of "revered worship", with the palace seen by royalists as sacrosanct.