Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has decided to reduce the prison sentence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from eight years to just one year. This move comes after Thaksin’s return to Thailand following 15 years of self-imposed exile, a return that has sparked considerable attention and speculation.
The royal decree announcing the reduction of Thaksin’s sentence was published in the Royal Gazette, and it is now in immediate effect. Thailand, as a constitutional monarchy, places the ultimate authority for pardons of convicted individuals in the hands of the king.
The decree granting Thaksin, who is 74 years old, royal clemency explicitly states that this action is taken to allow him to contribute his knowledge and abilities to the betterment of the nation and its people. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who is also serving as the acting justice minister, disclosed that he had received a letter from Thaksin requesting a royal pardon, primarily on medical grounds.
Thaksin Shinawatra’s political journey has been a tumultuous one. He was removed from the position of prime minister through a military coup in 2006, facing accusations of corruption, abuse of power, and disrespecting the monarchy. Fleeing Thailand in 2008 to avoid imprisonment on charges he deemed politically motivated, Thaksin has been in self-imposed exile for over a decade.
Thaksin, a charismatic leader, was known for his populist policies and utilized his telecommunications wealth to establish his own political party. He was elected as prime minister in 2001 and easily secured re-election in 2005. However, his popularity posed a threat to Thailand’s traditional royalist ruling class, leading to his ouster and triggering years of sometimes violent clashes between his supporters and opponents.
Although political parties affiliated with Thaksin continued to win elections, they were repeatedly removed from power by the courts and the military, both seen as guardians of royalist interests.
Thaksin’s recent return to Thailand saw him promptly incarcerated, but he was swiftly transferred to a state hospital due to concerns about his health. The prison reported his high blood pressure, low oxygen levels, sleep disturbances, and chest tightness.
There is widespread speculation that Thaksin’s return may have been motivated by the hope that a new government sympathetic to him would reduce his sentence, possibly through negotiations with the authorities. Shortly after Thaksin’s return, Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai party secured enough parliamentary votes to become prime minister, ending a period of uncertainty that had persisted for more than three months following the general election in May. Pheu Thai is the latest in a series of parties associated with Thaksin Shinawatra.
