BANGKOK: Fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra hit out at “tyranny” on Wednesday via a cryptic tweet quoting a French Enlightenment thinker in his first comments since his sister fled overseas.
Yingluck Shinawatra, who like her brother was also booted from office by a coup, dramatically disappeared days before a court was about to deliver judgment in a criminal negligence trial.
Party and junta sources say she went to join her brother, who lives in self-exile in Dubai.
On Wednesday Thaksin broke a long public silence, issuing tweets in both English and Thai that quoted 18th century French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu.
“Montesquieu once said ‘There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice’,” he wrote on his Twitter account.
It is the first time Thaksin has used Twitter in more than two years, in an apparent swipe at the military rulers who forced him out of office in 2006 and toppled his sister’s administration in 2014.
Yingluck faced up to 10 years in prison and a lifetime ban from politics had she been convicted by Thailand’s Supreme Court last Friday. But she was a no-show, forcing the court to delay its ruling and issue a warrant for her arrest.
Thaksin fled overseas in 2008, two years after the coup that toppled him, to escape a graft conviction he says was politically motivated.
“That tweet after so long reflects Thaksin’s anger,” said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a former Thai diplomat and an academic at Kyoto University.
“I suspect Yingluck and Thaksin will continue to find a political space in Thailand (from overseas)... they want to take revenge” on their enemies, he added.
The Shinawatra political dynasty began under Thaksin in 2001 with a series of groundbreaking welfare schemes that won them votes and the loyalty of the rural poor.
But their popularity rattled the royalist and army-aligned elite, who assailed successive governments linked to the clan with coups, court cases and protests.
The period since the first coup has been dubbed the “Lost Decade,” with frequent deadly street protests, short-lived governments and the return of entrenched military rule.
Thaksin hits out at Thailand ‘tyranny’ in cryptic tweet
Thaksin hits out at Thailand ‘tyranny’ in cryptic tweet
Saudi Arabia strengthens global ranking in 2026 Soft Power Index
- UAE maintains 10th place, Qatar climbs 2 spots
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia climbed three positions to 17th place in this year’s Soft Power Index, released on Tuesday by marketing consultancy Brand Finance.
Other Gulf nations also performed well, with the UAE maintaining its 10th-place ranking and Qatar and Bahrain each climbing two spots to No. 20 and No. 49, respectively, marking a rebound for the region after a softer showing in 2025.
The report indicates that the performance reflects sustained investment in proactive diplomacy, economic diversification and expanded initiatives across culture, tourism and sports.
It also comes at a time when several Western powers are recording declines in their rankings, highlighting the growing influence of Gulf states.
“The UAE remains a clear regional leader, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar have strengthened their global positions through focused economic diplomacy and international engagement,” said Savio D’Souza, managing director for the Middle East and Africa, Brand Finance.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE either maintained or improved their rankings across all key pillars, including familiarity, reputation and influence.
The Kingdom recorded notable gains, with increases of 25 points in the People & Values pillar and 12 points in the Culture & Heritage pillar.
“Although perceptions across some markets remain mixed, renewed upward movement in the rankings suggests that targeted, long-term soft power strategies are beginning to pay off,” D’Souza said.
Globally, the US retained its top position despite recording the steepest overall decline in its score, followed by China in second place. Japan rose to third place, overtaking the UK, which ranked fourth, while Germany placed fifth.
Brand Finance defines “soft power” as a “nation’s ability to influence the preferences and behaviors of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, publics, etc.) through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion.”
Each nation is assessed across 55 individual metrics, producing an overall score out of 100 and a ranking from first to 193rd.
