Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra walked out of Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison on Monday morning after serving eight months of a one-year sentence on a corruption-related charge, marking the end of a saga that has dominated Thai politics for a generation.
Hundreds of supporters, family members and political allies greeted the 76-year-old billionaire at the gates around 7:40 a.m. local time, chanting “We love Thaksin” as he emerged in a simple white shirt with closely cropped hair. Among them was his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was sacked as Prime Minister by court order in August last year — weeks before his imprisonment began. He smiled at the crowd but left without speaking to reporters.
Thaksin governed Thailand from 2001 until a 2006 military coup toppled him while he was abroad. After 15 years in self-exile, he returned in 2023 to face an eight-year sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power dating to his time in office. The sentence was commuted to one year by the king.
Within hours of his return, Thaksin complained of heart and chest problems and was moved to a hospital VIP wing, where he remained for six months. In September last year, the Supreme Court ruled that he and his doctors had intentionally prolonged the hospital stay through unnecessary minor surgeries and ordered him to serve the remainder of his sentence in prison.
A Ministry of Justice panel granted him parole last month as part of a review of more than 900 eligible prisoners’ cases, citing good behaviour, his age, and a low risk of re-offending. Thaksin will wear an electronic ankle monitor for the remainder of the term.
His Pheu Thai Party recorded its worst-ever performance in February’s general election, slipping to third place. Thailand is now governed by a conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
