The Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday rejected former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's petition against the revocation of his passports, but restored passports for former deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisaeng.
In both cases, the court upheld earlier rulings by the Central Administrative Court.
In 2016 the Central Administrative Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Thaksin after the government revoked his two regular Thai passports.
In the suit, the fugitive ex-premier accused the chief of the Department of Consular Affairs and the permanent secretary for foreign affairs of revoking the passports illegally on May 26, 2015.
The ministry cancelled Thaksin's passports following media interviews he gave in South Korea. The interviews were deemed "inappropriate" by officials who claimed Thaksin's comments undermined national security and dignity.
In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo newspaper in Seoul on May 20, 2015, Thaksin claimed that privy councillors supported anti-government protests that culminated in the military coup that ousted his sister Yingluck and her government on May 22, 2014. After the 2006 coup, all Thaksin's passports, including a diplomatic one, were revoked, but the Yingluck government restored his regular passports in 2011.
In 2008, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders sentenced Thaksin to two years in prison for helping his former wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra buy prime state land in the Ratchadaphisek area of Bangkok when he was prime minister in 2003.
Thaksin fled the country just before sentencing after being granted bail to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
Meanwhile, in 2017 the Central Administrative Court ruled that three passports once held by Mr Chaturon be reinstated.
The ex-Pheu Thai MP earlier filed a number of lawsuits -- against the Foreign Ministry, its minister and permanent secretary; the Consular Affairs Department and its director-general; and the Royal Thai Police and its chief -- for revoking his passports on the grounds that he was banned from leaving the country while facing charges.
The charges were for failing to report to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and for sedition as his Facebook posts concerning the impeachment of politicians undermined the separation of powers, the court said.
He was granted bail on condition he sought the permission of both the court and the regime to travel abroad, which he did, the court said.
He was subsequently authorised by the court and NCPO to go to China, Japan and Germany. Each time, he returned according to the agreed schedule and showed no signs of attempting to flee or avoid trial, the court said.
The revocation of his three passports could not be justified, especially when compared to the impact it would have on his fundamental rights as a Thai citizen to have and use a passport, the court said.
