Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Set for Release from Prison

Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Set for Release from Prison

Thailand's old Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, will be let out of jail soon because his parole got approved. The justice minister in Thailand said this, and it's happening just six months after he came back to the country in a big way.

The rich and controversial billionaire, who became the leader twice and was removed in a military takeover in 2006, was imprisoned in August for eight years due to corruption and abuse of power. However, shortly after, the King, Maha Vajiralongkorn, reduced his sentence to just one year.

He came back to Thailand on August 22 after staying away for 15 years, and then he got an eight-year prison sentence for doing things that were not right, like using his position for personal gain and being involved in corruption while he was in charge. Thaksin was declared guilty of these charges while he was living outside the country.

It quickly became obvious that the political person who came back wouldn't stay in jail for long. A week later, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn reduced Thaksin's sentence from eight years to one after the rich person asked for special forgiveness.

On Tuesday, Thailand's Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong stated that Thaksin is among 930 prisoners given parole this month.

Tawee Sodsong, the Justice Minister, informed reporters, "He is in the group of people in critical condition or aged over 70. He will be released automatically after six months." Thaksin was imprisoned on August 22 last year, and Thai media mentioned that he could be released any day starting from Saturday.

The specific details about how he will be released are not known, but there might be monitoring, perhaps with an ankle tag, and limits on his ability to travel. When he returned, his Pheu Thai party joined the government with pro-military parties, making many think that a deal had been made to reduce his time in jail.

The rumors became more intense when he was moved to a police hospital shortly after receiving the sentence due to his bad health. It's unclear if he has actually stayed in a prison cell.

News sources mentioned that Thaksin experienced chest tightness and high blood pressure when he was taken to the hospital. In the months that followed, his family mentioned that he had undergone two surgeries.

While he was in charge, Thaksin was very well-liked by Thailand's rural and working-class people. However, the rich elites and conservatives strongly disliked his policies, accusing him of being a dangerous and corrupt leader who appealed to the common people.