Thaksin dons yellow shirt for court appearance

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra wore a yellow shirt to attend a hearing at the Criminal Court today (August 19) on charges of lese majesté related to an interview he gave to a media outlet in South Korea in 2015.

Thaksin declined to comment when asked if he was conveying a message by wearing a yellow shirt and continued on his way upstairs to the trial room

Yellow shirts are known to be a symbol of loyalists.

Thaksin was charged in the Criminal Court on June 18 for allegedly violating Article 112 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act by giving an interview to The Chosun Media in 2015 about the coup that ousted then prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra from power

Thaksin entered a not-guilty plea and was released on bail. The court ordered him to appear at today’s hearing to review the list of evidence submitted by public prosecutors.

A team of six or seven lawyers accompanied him to the hearing,
He arrived at the court at 8.53 am wearing a black jacket over his yellow shirt.

Before walking upstairs to the courtroom, Thaksin said he was not worried about the case, commenting that the coup maker brought the case against him in an attempt to tighten power and gag opponents.

The court tightened security on Monday and sought reinforcements from the Metropolitan Police Division 2 to maintain safety. Reporters and supporters of Thaksin were not allowed to enter the court building.