
Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was cleared Friday of royal defamation charges, relieving a threat to his embattled political dynasty which has dominated Thai politics for two decades.
The 76-year-old had faced up to 15 years in prison, but a Bangkok court found him not guilty of breaching the kingdom's strict lese-majeste laws criminalising criticism of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his family.