Jailed former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will probably be released as early as the weekend, the Saudi justice minister said. It’s been just six months since he returned from 15 years of self-imposed exile.
The controversial billionaire, who was twice elected prime minister and ousted in a military coup in 2006, was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of corruption and abuse of power in August, but within days King Vajiralongkorn The sentence was reduced to one year.
Justice Minister Towie Sodson said on Tuesday that the former Manchester City owner, 74, would be among the 930 prisoners granted early release.
“He is in a group that is in serious condition or has elderly people over 70 years old. He will be automatically released after six months,” Tawee Sodson told reporters. told.
Thaksin was jailed on August 22 last year, and Thai media reported he could be released any time after Saturday.
The exact details of his release are not clear, but he will be subject to monitoring, possibly an ankle tag and his travel rights may be restricted.
His return coincided with the return of his Pro-Thai Party to government in alliance with a pro-military party, leading many to conclude that an agreement had been struck to reduce his sentence.
This rumor became even stronger when he was transferred to the police hospital within hours of being sentenced due to poor health, but it is not clear whether he spent any time in a prison cell. .
According to local media reports, Thaksin was suffering from chest tightness and high blood pressure when he was hospitalized, and his family said he underwent two surgeries in the following months.
The former telecoms tycoon is one of the most influential and polarizing figures in modern Thai history.
Thaksin, endeared to millions of rural Thais for his populist policies in the early 2000s, has been criticized by the country’s royalists and pro-military factions.
Much of Thai politics over the past two decades has been marked by power struggles between the establishment and Thaksin and his allies.
When he landed in his hometown of Bangkok, his supporters welcomed him as a hero, and his first public act was to bow down in respect before the king’s portrait at the airport.
Last week, police charged him with lese majeste over comments he made in South Korea nearly a decade ago, but it is unclear whether prosecutors will take the case to court.
Thaksin denied the charges and sent a letter to the attorney general demanding fair treatment.
