Ex-Thai PM Thaksin fights US$500m tax bill, says seizure of bullet-proof cars could endanger his life

BANGKOK, Oct 7 — Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has argued in court that seizing his assets, including bullet-proof vehicles, could put his life at risk as part of a decades-old US$500 million tax dispute. The Supreme Court’s Tax Division previously ruled in November that the Revenue Department could claim the tax owed over the 2006 sale of his telecoms company.

Thaksin's lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree, said the total amount in dispute exceeds 17 billion baht (US$2.05 billion). Appearing in the Central Tax Court in Bangkok, Thaksin, 77, claimed that the seized assets include five cars, two of which are bullet-proof, citing personal safety concerns. The 77-year-old former premier disclosed that he had experienced four assassination attempts during his tenure as prime minister from 2001 to 2006.

He was initially elected in 2001 and re-elected in 2005 before being ousted by the military in 2006. Thaksin further asserted that he has already settled the tax by allowing the Shin Corp sale to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, which generated a US$1.9 billion profit, triggering opposition to his administration. The 2006 deal was a catalyst for protests against his populist government.

He was ousted during a coup the following year and lived in exile for over a decade, serving time for corruption in 2023 before being released in May. The tax court is set to rule on November 16. The Shinawatra family has been a prominent critic of Thailand’s pro-military, pro-royalty elite for two decades, and the family’s populist policies have often clashed with the traditional social order.

However, the dynasty has faced numerous legal and political challenges, including the court-ordered removal of the former prime minister’s daughter as prime minister in August 2025 due to an ethics violation.