Thailand’s Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra Ordered to Prison
In a stunning development, Thailand’s top court has sentenced the influential former prime minister and billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra to one year in prison. This marks a significant moment for the embattled political figure.
Thaksin, a figure both towering and divisive, held the position of prime minister from 2001 until his removal in a military coup in 2006. After 15 years in self-imposed exile, he returned to Thailand in 2023 only to be sentenced to eight years in prison for various offenses including conflict of interest, abuse of power, and corruption during his time in office.
Despite the sentence, Thaksin, who once owned Manchester City Football Club, managed to avoid spending a single night in a prison cell. Instead, he served his time in a luxurious suite at Bangkok’s Police General Hospital citing health concerns such as tightness in his chest, high blood pressure, and low oxygen levels.
Following intervention from Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Thaksin’s prison sentence was reduced to one year, and he was granted parole after six months in February 2024.
However, the Supreme Court’s recent ruling has determined that Thaksin’s extended hospital stay was illegal, ordering him to serve his sentence at Bangkok Remand Prison. Video footage from Reuters captured a convoy transporting Thaksin to the prison on Tuesday.
Questions have been raised about whether Thaksin received preferential treatment during his time in detention, with many analysts speculating that he may have struck a deal with the conservative and royalist establishment for leniency in exchange for his return to the country.
Thaksin has denied such allegations, and the Supreme Court’s decision implies that his hospital stay did not count as time served. The court stated that Thaksin could have received outpatient care for his medical conditions without the need for prolonged inpatient treatment.
In a social media post following the verdict, Thaksin expressed acceptance of the court’s decision and vowed to move forward. His daughter and former prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, stated that their family remains resilient and committed to their political duties as the opposition party.
Despite the challenges ahead, Thaksin and his family seem determined to navigate the stormy waters of Thai politics with unwavering resolve.
