Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is facing a potential 15-year prison sentence in a royal defamation case. The case is unfolding shortly after Thaksin's daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was temporarily suspended from her position as prime minister by the country's Constitutional Court. The timing of these events has raised questions about potential political motivations behind the legal actions. The royal defamation laws in Thailand are strictly enforced, and criticism of the monarchy can carry severe penalties.