Thaksin Shinawatra has filed defamation and computer crime lawsuits against a <i>Thai Post</i> newspaper columnist and a news agency.
Chumsai Sriyapai, Thaksin's lawyer, filed charges against the writer who uses the pen name Pleoi Si-ngern at the Thai-language daily with the Technology Crime Suppression Division on Thursday, accusing him of defamation and breaking the computer crime law.
Mr Chumsai said Pleoi wrote in his "Plai Soi" column published on March 27 in the newspaper and on its website that Thaksin intentionally evaded the tax on the Shin Corp share deal.
The columnist also accused revenue officials of taking orders from Thaksin when they did not assess and collect the tax.
"This is not true. They did not do it because the deadline had passed and it could not be done," he said.
Mr Chumsai said Thaksin also pressed similar charges against TNews for accusing him of being part of the Wuthipong "Kotee" Kochathamakun group and Charupong Ruangsuwan.
The fugitive ex-prime minister also sought legal action against those involved including the owner of the "Prach Samsi" Facebook, who had allegedly started the accusations.