Thailand's king has stripped fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of his royal decorations, citing his 2008 flight to escape serving a two-year prison term on a conflict of interest conviction and other legal cases against him.
Thai media reported that the Royal Command from King Maha Vajiralongkorn was published Saturday in the Royal Gazette.
The move follows a March 24 general election in which a party loyal to Thaksin claimed it won enough seats to form a coalition that would hold a majority in the House of Representatives.
Final certified results will not be issued until May 9, and the state Election Commission has warned there could be some disqualifications by then.
Last week, a military award Thaksin has been given was revoked by the army, with the explanation that he failed to deserve the honor.
King Vajiralongkorn on election eve had issued a statement urging voters to select "good people" for public office, a message taken as implicitly advising support of Thaksin's opponents, since the term "good people" has become a popular description for those opposed to the former prime minister.
Thaksin, a billionaire with populist policies, became prime minister in 2001 but was ousted by a 2006 military coup. Abuse of power and disrespect for the monarchy were two of the accusations that were offered as justification for the coup.
The army staged another coup in 2014 against a government that had been formed by Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was forced out of office on a controversial charge, later found guilty of negligence in her duties, and also fled into exile.
SHARE ME