Thaksin Shinawatra: Thailand’s top court orders former PM to spend one year in jail

Bangkok
 — 

Thailand’s top court ordered the influential former prime minister and billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra to prison for one year on Tuesday in a dramatic turn of events for the embattled political titan.

Thaksin, 76, a towering and divisive figure, served as prime minister from 2001 until he was ousted in a military coup in 2006. He made a dramatic return to Thailand in 2023 after 15 years in self-imposed exile, and was sentenced to eight years in prison for conflict of interest, abuse of power and corruption during his time in power.

Despite the sentence, Thaksin – who once owned Manchester City Football Club – never spent a night in a prison cell. He served his time in a luxury suite at Bangkok’s Police General Hospital after complaining of tightness in his chest, high blood pressure and low oxygen levels.

Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn then reduced Thaksin’s prison sentence to one year, before he was released on parole six months later in February 2024.

On Tuesday the Supreme Court ruled that Thaksin’s prolonged hospital stay last year was unlawful and ordered him to serve his sentence at Bangkok Remand Prison, according to the court. Video from the Reuters news agency showed a convoy of vehicles it said was carrying Thaksin arriving at the prison later on Tuesday.

The nature of Thaksin’s detention raised questions that he received special treatment.

And many analysts believe Thaksin struck a deal with the country’s powerful conservative and royalist establishment for his return in exchange for a reduced jail term, lenient treatment, or a possible pardon. Thaksin returned on the same day his family’s political party took up the reins of government once again.

Thaksin has denied making such an arrangement.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court determined that Thaksin’s time in hospital did not count as time served.

The court ruled that Thaksin knew or was aware that his medical conditions could have been managed as an outpatient, “without the need for prolonged inpatient care.”

“The defendant benefited from remaining in the hospital without having to return to custody at Bangkok Remand Prison until his eventual release,” the court statement said.

In June, Thailand’s medical council suspended two doctors who enabled Thaksin to spend his sentence in hospital, ruling they issued documents that contained false medical information, Reuters reported. A prison doctor was also cautioned for failing to meet medical standards in referring Thaksin for hospital treatment.

In a social media post after the verdict, Thaksin said he accepted the court’s decision.

“Today I choose to look forward, letting all past matters come to a resolution,” he said. “Though I may lack physical freedom, I still have the freedom of thought for the benefit of the nation and people.”

Speaking to reporters outside court, Thaksin’s daughter and former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, said “My father and our family remain holding high spirits.”

She added that the Shinawatras’ Pheu Thai political party “will carry on doing (our) political duty as the opposition party.”

A crowd of Thaksin’s supporters had also gathered outside the court.

“I am so sad today,” Oy, 64, told CNN while wiping away tears. Oy, who gave only her nickname, said that without Thaksin’s universal healthcare initiative, her husband wouldn’t have received life-saving heart surgery.

Thaksin was present at court to hear the verdict. On Thursday, he flew to Dubai — where he spent much of his time in exile — on his private jet for “a health check-up,” prompting many in the kingdom to speculate that he had fled the country.

The verdict was the final of three judgements against the powerful Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thailand’s turbulent and often violent political scene for more than 20 years.

The political patriarch recently survived a lese majeste case against him that could have seen him jailed for up to 15 years.

His daughter did not get off so lightly. Former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed from office by the Constitutional Court less than two weeks ago over a leaked phone call she had with Cambodia’s former leader that breached ethics rules.

Over the past 25 years, Thaksin has built one of the country’s most famous and successful political dynasties, with allied candidates winning almost every election since 2001.

But that dynasty has long been loathed by the Thai establishment which, with the help of both the military and courts, has frequently toppled or tied up Shinawatra-run governments.

During, his exile Thaksin continued to be a driving force in politics behind the scenes.

His sister Yingluck ran a government until a court ruling ended her tenure followed by a 2014 military coup, while Thaksin’s brother-in-law was also in charge of Thailand briefly during his absence.

Many observers feel that the family’s power in Thailand is diminished, and its long dominant political machine could finally be out of steam.

Thailand is at a crucial juncture. Over the past two decades the kingdom has largely been ruled by the Shinawatras or their proxies, or the military.

Last week, that changed when the Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party was ousted from government.

Anutin Charnvirakul, a veteran of Thai politics, won a vote in parliament to replace Paetongtarn and become Thailand’s next prime minister — the country’s third in two years.

The former interior minister who spearheaded Thailand’s legalization of cannabis, and his government took office on Sunday after obtaining a royal endorsement from King Vajiralongkorn.

This story has been updated with additional developments.