Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be released early in May.

(CLO) Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be released early on May 11th, after serving a prison sentence for corruption-related charges.

According to an announcement on April 29th by the Thai Department of Prisons, Thaksin is one of more than 850 prisoners approved for early release in this round.

Mr. Thaksin, 76, began serving his one-year prison sentence last September. The Thai Justice Minister stated that he was eligible for early release due to his advanced age and the short remaining sentence. Upon release, he will be subject to probationary conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2005. Photo: CC/Wiki

Thaksin was elected prime minister in 2001 and re-elected in 2005, and went into exile after his second term was interrupted by a military coup. Upon returning to Thailand in August 2023, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption and abuse of power.

He was then transferred to a hospital for treatment instead of remaining in prison due to health reasons. His sentence was reduced to one year thanks to a royal pardon.

In September, the Supreme Court ruled that he was not seriously ill and that his time in the hospital would not count toward his sentence, forcing him to return to prison to serve another year.

The Pheu Thai Party, founded by him, and its predecessors were once the most successful political force in Thailand in the 21st century. The Shinawatra family has had four members serve as prime minister and enjoys strong support from rural areas. However, in the recent February election, the party fell to third place – its worst result ever.

Source: https://congluan.vn/cuu-thu-tuong-thai-lan-thaksin-se-duoc-tra-tu-do-som-vao-thang-5-10339883.html