The Thai king has revoked the royal decorations of billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, citing his conviction and "extremely inappropriate" flight from the country, according to an announcement published Saturday. The statement in the Royal Gazette from King Maha Vajiralongkorn comes almost a week after the country held its first election since a military coup in 2014 installed a royalist junta.
Pheu Thai, a political party linked to Thaksin, is now jostling with the junta-backed Phalang Pracharat for the right to form a government. The billionaire told AFP in an interview last week that the election was "rigged". The royal statement said the king "recalls the royal decorations" from the former premier "because Mr. Thaksin was convicted by the Supreme Court".
"Moreover, he has fled the kingdom which is extremely inappropriate behaviour." The ex-premier was stripped of the "illustrious order of Chula Chom Klao", typically bestowed for service to the country. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup and fled the country in 2008. He was convicted in Thailand on corruption charges.
His sister Yingluck became prime minister in 2011 before being removed in the coup three years later. King Vajiralongkorn had issued an announcement on election eve calling for Thais to support "good" people to prevent "chaos" - a declaration replayed right before polls opened on March 24.