Thailand’s jailed ex-Thai leader Thaksin to be released Sunday, PM Srettha says
- Thaksin has been in hospital detention since August, after making a dramatic homecoming from living abroad for 15 years in self-exile to avoid prison
- He had his eight-year jail term commuted to a year by the King after his return and has served six months in hospital detention due to his health
Jailed former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be freed on Sunday, the kingdom’s prime minister has said, just six months after returning from 15 years of self-imposed exile.
The controversial billionaire, twice elected prime minister and ousted in a 2006 military coup, was jailed for eight years on graft and abuse-of-power charges upon his return to Thailand in August, but within days had his sentence cut to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday before boarding a flight, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Thaksin’s release would be “on the 18th” and handled “according to the rule of law”.
He is in the group where they are in a critical condition or aged over 70. He will be released after six months automatically
It comes after Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said earlier this week that Thaksin, 74, would be among 930 prisoners granted early release.
“He is in the group where they are in a critical condition or aged over 70. He will be released after six months automatically,” the minister said.
Thai media have reported he could be released very early in the morning, but Srettha said he did not know any details.
Thaksin’s homecoming coincided with his Pheu Thai party returning to government in alliance with pro-military parties, leading many to conclude that an agreement had been struck to cut his jail time.
The rumours grew stronger when he was transferred to a police hospital within hours of being sentenced because of his poor health, and it is not clear that he has spent any time in a prison cell.
