BANGKOK: According to a top changes standard, Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra may get released on parole as early as late February after having his eight-year prison sentence reduced to one year after returning from self-exile.
The most well-known politician in Thailand made a spectacular comeback last month, 15 years after he went into self-exile after being overthrown in 2006 in response to an uprising by the government. In three instances involving abuse of power, conflict of interest, and misconduct while Thaksin was away, he was found guilty of proceedings.
Following decades of doubt in the midst of an election in May that ended in frustration for the ruling pro-military party, his returning to Thailand coincided with the election of his friend Srettha Thavisin as the nation’s new prime minister.
Since 2001, parties supporting Thaksin have won every vote, with the exception of this year’s crown, when the Pheu Thai, a party supported by his family, came in second.
The country’s older cash elites and royalist military clashed with the telecom billionaire, whose boisterous personality and nationalist policies were appealing to poorer Thais. These groups also overthrew his sister government in 2014.
After the pro-military functions gave the Pheu Thai member Srettha their support to form a new state, there was rumor that Thaksin had reached some sort of agreement with his old adversaries.
This is refuted by Thaksin and Srettha.
Thaksin was transferred to a police hospital with chest discomfort and high blood pressure on his first day in Thailand, where he is already receiving treatment.
King Maha Vajiralongkorn commuted his eight-year word to one year a few days after, but he could have been released earlier.
According to Corrections Department Deputy Director General Sitthi Sutivong, Thaksin may be eligible for parole for inmates over 70 or those who are sick after serving six weeks of his word.
According to him, there is no pardon complaint process in these cases because the corrections department evaluates each case.
According to Sitthi, there is no set time limit on the previous prime minister’s medical treatment, which is at the discretion of health professionals.