Thailand’s king commutes ‘old and ill’ ex-PM Thaksin’s prison sentence to one year

Sentenced reduced from eight years to one year

Thailand Politics (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Thailand’s king reduced the prison term of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from eight years to one year following the divisive politician's return from 15 years of self-imposed exile.

The decision by King Maha Vajiralongkorn was published Friday in The Royal Gazette, making it effective immediately.

Mr Thaksin “was a prime minister, has done good for the country and people and is loyal to the monarchy,” The Royal Gazette said on Friday.

“He respected the process, admitted his guilt, repented, accepted court verdicts. Right now he is old, has illness that needs care from medical professionals,” it read.

Mr Thaksin was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, when he was ousted by a military coup. He fled Thailand in 2008 when he faced prison time on charges he described as politically motivated.

He returned to Thailand last week and was immediately sent to prison, but was quickly transferred to a state hospital because of what was described as his frail health.

The return of Thailand’s most famous politician was met with celebrations by his supporters and blow-by-blow media coverage of arrival in Bangkok on his private jet, and his transfer to prison soon after.

He returned after 15 years of self-imposed exile and was immediately sent to Bangkok’s main prison because of several criminal convictions he has decried as politically motivated.

Hours after his return, Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai party won enough votes in Parliament to become prime minister, ending more than three months of uncertainty after May’s general election. Pheu Thai is the latest in a string of parties affiliated with Thaksin.

It is widely believed that Thaksin returned out of hope that a new government friendly to him would reduce his sentence and that he may have made a deal with authorities, although he has said his decision had nothing to do with the Pheu Thai party’s bid for power.