Seriously ill

Thailand’s ex-Prime Minister Thaksin released from prison

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Thai ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was convicted of corruption, has been released from prison on parole ahead of schedule. "He has left the police hospital," said Thaksin's legal adviser Winyat Chartmontri. He had been released on parole.

According to the judiciary, the 74-year-old met the parole criteria as he is over 70 years old, suffers from a serious illness and has served six months of his one-year prison sentence. According to the reports, the most famous politician in the Southeast Asian country is one of 930 prisoners who have been granted parole.

King reduces prison sentence
The former head of government returned to his home country on August 22, 2023 after 15 years in exile - and was immediately sentenced by the Supreme Court. He was immediately sent to prison, but was taken to the police hospital shortly afterwards due to health complaints. King Maha Vajiralongkorn eventually reduced Thaksin's prison sentence from eight years to just one year. In Thailand, convicts over the age of 70 can apply for parole or a royal pardon.

Ousted in 2006
Thaksin had made his fortune in the telecommunications industry and was elected Prime Minister in 2001. He was overthrown in a military coup in 2006 and was later accused of corruption and abuse of power as well as disrespecting the monarchy. He fled the country in 2008 and has since lived mainly in Dubai to avoid a prison sentence.

Thaksin was driven from prison to his home in Bangkok on Sunday morning.(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

On the very day of his return to Thailand, the candidate of the Pheu Thai party he founded, real estate entrepreneur Srettha Thavisin, was elected as the new prime minister. Srettha is the successor to Prayuth Chan-ocha, who toppled the previous Pheu Thai government of Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra in a military coup in 2014.