Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin could be pardoned next month

Thaksin Shinawatra was hospitalized with high blood pressure and chest pain upon his return to the country last August after 15 years in exile. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for abuse of power, but the sentence was later reduced to one year by royal pardon.

Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Bangkok on August 22, 2023.

Last week, Thailand's Department of Corrections extended Thaksin's stay at the police hospital for further health monitoring. At a press conference on January 17, Deputy Director-General Sitthi Sutivong stated that "based on the criteria, Mr. Thaksin is eligible for a special pardon." Sitthi added that Thaksin, 75 years old, qualifies for a pardon due to his advanced age and health condition, according to the Bangkok Post .

However, prisoners have no right to request it; only prison leaders decide, on a monthly basis. Mr. Sitthi said his agency has not yet received any official request from the leadership of the Bangkok Detention Center, where Mr. Thaksin is being held.

Thaksin lost power after a coup in 2006. He was accused of corruption and abuse of power. He was sentenced in absentia in 2008. His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, also served as prime minister and was overthrown in a coup in 2014.

In August 2023, he returned to Thailand on a private jet and was immediately escorted by police to the court and then to a detention center. That same night, Thaksin was transferred from the detention center to a police hospital due to health reasons. The former Thai Prime Minister is believed to have undergone surgery and has been in the hospital ever since.

Last month, Senator Somchai Sawangkarn, chairman of the Thai Senate's Committee on Human Rights , Civil Liberties and Consumer Protection, confirmed that Thaksin could still receive a reduced sentence and pardon in February.

Mr. Somchai stated that, according to regulations, prisoners can receive special amnesty if they have completed one-third of their sentence. As of December 20, 2023, Mr. Thaksin had met this condition, and by February he would have completed half of his sentence. The MP said that Mr. Thaksin is eligible for a suspended sentence after serving six months because he is elderly and has a chronic illness. In addition, the former prime minister will not be required to wear a monitoring device.

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