The Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) is setting up a team to pursue legal action against lese majeste suspects who have fled or are living abroad.
Attorney-General Trakul Winijnaiyaphak said his agency was working with state agencies to form the team to be made up of representatives from the OAG, the police and the Foreign Ministry.
He said the team would review lese majeste cases after it received reports from the police. The team then would forward the cases to the OAG for indictment if there were grounds for prosecution.
The OAG could seek arrest warrants for suspects if they had fled or were staying in countries which had compatible laws and extradition agreements with Thailand, Mr Trakul said.
Meanwhile, former Pheu Thai Party leader Charupong Ruangsuwan, who has set up the Organisation for Free Thais for Human Rights and Democracy (FT-HD) to oppose the coup-makers, is urging his supporters to press “Like” on his Facebook page and share his messages on social media.
He wants his followers to oppose the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), and protect Thais’ freedom and human rights.
He defended former PM’s Office minister Jakrapob Penkair who the NCPO claims is linked to war weapons seized recently by authorities.
Mr Charupong said the claims were trumped up, and no evidence had been presented to back them up.
Mr Jakrapob fled Thailand in 2009 after being charged with lese majeste and was believed to be in hiding in a neighbouring country before re-emerging in Hong Kong last week to give a media interview.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Somyos Pumpanmuang said an arrest warrant was issued for Mr Jakrapob on July 20, 2007.
The National Police Office would send the warrant to the OAG to seek his extradition.
Another arrest warrant has now been issued for Mr Jakrapob in relation to the war weapons case and would also be forwarded to the OAG, said Pol Gen Somyos.
Pol Gen Somyos denied the police had double standards in dealing with people who opposed and supported the NCPO.
Police were mulling adopting a softer approach in handling people who may have violated martial law by staging anti-NCPO activities, he said, with more female troops and police being added to security forces responsible for dealing with them.