A Bangkok court has acquitted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra of insulting the monarchy, a charge that carried a sentence of up to 15 years in jail. The verdict brings relief to the Shinawatra clan, a dominant force in Thai politics.

• Thaksin was accused of insulting the monarchy in a South Korean newspaper interview a decade ago.
• The charge was originally filed under the then-military government in 2016 and reactivated last year upon his return from exile.
• The verdict comes as his daughter, suspended PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, faces a Constitutional Court decision on her removal from office.