Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra tweeted on Monday night he was "extremely concerned" to learn his name had been mentioned in a message posted on Thai social media that appeared to break the nation's strict lese majeste law.
Thaksin: Keen to defend name
On his Twitter account @ThaksinLive, he wrote he was not acquainted with the author of the message.
"I insist that I do not know that person and I have never even thought of offending the royal institution," he wrote.
He also condemned the method used by the author and vowed to take every possible action against them for implicating him.
He concluded by saying in future he would take legal action against anyone who mentions his name in relation to any alleged act of lese majeste.
It was not clear what message Thaksin was talking about as he failed to elaborate on either the wording or the medium used.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday if Thaksin was associated with any claim of lese majeste the matter would be investigated and dealt with according to the proper legal procedures.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said he had ordered a probe into Thaksin's claim and would look into the facts to find the wrongdoer.
He said the message was not related to a group whom he said earlier was attempting to disrupt preparations for the royal cremation ceremony on Oct 26.
Earlier, the new attorney-general reactivated a recommendation that the fugitive former premier be indicted for allegedly violating the computer crime and lese majeste laws for an interview he gave overseas two years ago.
A source said Thaksin assigned a lawyer to petition the attorney-general on his behalf last Thursday and seek a review of any decision to indict him.
Last Friday, attorney-general Khemchai Chutiwongs, who took over the job on Oct 1, said his predecessor Pongniwat Yuthapanboriparn had recommended the indictment of Thaksin for violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law.
Mr Khemchai served as deputy attorney-general before succeeding Mr Pongniwat.
A previous attorney-general, Trakul Winitnaiyapak, set up a panel of prosecutors to work with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) to investigate the case before Mr Trakul retired in September 2015.
In 2015, the TCSD accused Thaksin of violating the two laws in the interview he gave to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper in Seoul during which he linked privy councillors to the 2014 military coup that ousted the Pheu Thai-led government.
Thaksin was removed from office by an earlier coup in 2006. He now lives in self-exile and is known to have a residence in Dubai.
