Mr. Thaksin is completely free.

The new royal pardon from Thailand exempts Thaksin Shinawatra from the remainder of his sentence, ending his probation and removing his electronic monitoring system.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on conditional parole after serving eight months of a one-year sentence at Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 11. Photo: Reuters .

According to the Royal Gazette of Thailand, the Royal Amnesty Decree was issued on June 2nd to commemorate Queen Suthida's 48th birthday and will officially take effect on June 3rd.

The decree applies to prisoners who have been released early or are on probation, and whose remaining sentence falls within the legally defined threshold for full amnesty.

According to Article 7 of the decree, those granted early release will have their remaining sentence reduced by one-third. However, those who meet the conditions stipulated in Article 8 will be exempted from serving the entire remaining sentence.

Article 8 stipulates that prisoners with no more than one year remaining on their sentence from the date the decree takes effect will be eligible for a full pardon.

Mr. Thaksin, 76, is currently serving the final portion of his one-year prison sentence through early release. He was released from Klong Prem Central Prison on May 11 and was originally scheduled to complete his sentence on September 9, 2026.

However, when the new decree takes effect on June 3rd, his remaining sentence is just over three months, significantly less than the one-year threshold stipulated in the amnesty decree.

This means Thaksin will most likely be moved from conditional release to full sentence completion, ending all probationary supervision obligations that were in effect until September 9th.

After his release in May, Thaksin was required to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet (EM) and periodically report to the probation agency for the duration of his early release.

After the decree takes effect, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Probation of Thailand are expected to carry out the necessary procedures to adjust Thaksin's legal status.

These steps include removing electronic monitoring devices, updating legal records, and issuing documents confirming the completion of the execution of the sentence.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was fitted with an electronic monitoring bracelet after his release on May 11. Photo: Reuters.

The new developments mean the former Thai prime minister will not have to wait until the end of his probation period in September to be fully free. Legally, he will be considered to have served his sentence instead of only enjoying conditional freedom.

Thaksin returned to Thailand in 2023 after years of exile abroad. Soon after, he had to serve sentences related to corruption and abuse of power during his time as prime minister.

Initially, his total sentence was eight years in prison. However, he later received royal pardon, which reduced his sentence to one year.

In September 2025, the Supreme Court of Thailand ruled that the time he spent receiving treatment in the hospital prior to his sentence did not count as valid time in prison, forcing him to continue serving his one-year prison sentence as prescribed.

After completing the minimum sentence required by law, he was granted early release. The Thai Ministry of Justice stated that the decision was based on several factors, including his advanced age, good behavior, and low risk of recidivism.

On May 11, Thaksin was released and returned to his Chan Song La residence in Bangkok. However, he remains under probation and will be monitored by an electronic monitoring device until his prison term ends on September 9.

Source: https://znews.vn/ong-thaksin-duoc-tu-do-hoan-toan-post1656461.html