BANGKOK, May 9, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A Thai court has refused former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's request to leave the country for Qatar, where he said he hoped to meet US President Donald Trump for informal trade talks.

Thaksin, currently facing criminal charges under Thailand's strict royal defamation law, had sought permission to travel as part of his bail conditions.

The Criminal Court ruled Thursday evening that the request lacked "sufficient justification", noting that the invitation from Qatar's Lusail Palace -- where Trump is expected to attend a private dinner -- was personal and unrelated to any official diplomatic capacity.

Thaksin argued that the event offered a rare opportunity to speak with Trump and his economic team in discussions, after Thailand was hit with a 36 percent tariff as part of a sweeping blitz of US trade penalties.

"The request lacked a specific itinerary," the court said in a statement.

The court also said that the proposed travel could interfere with legal proceedings against Thaksin.

Tariff talks between the United States and Thailand, originally scheduled for April, have been indefinitely postponed, prompting speculation that domestic politics played a role.

Thaksin, who returned to Thailand in August 2023 after more than a decade overseas, has pledged to stay out of politics, but local media have reported he has informally offered to engage with Washington on trade matters.

His daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, became prime minister in 2024, a move widely seen as engineered by Thaksin, who critics say remains the real power behind the government.

The former premier holds no official position in the Thai government.

While Thaksin remains popular with his support base, he has long been disliked by Thailand's pro-royalist and military establishment.

Thaksin is due to appear in court in July in the royal defamation case, which is linked to a 2015 interview with a South Korean media outlet.

He also faces scrutiny from the Supreme Court over alleged special treatment following his return to the country.