Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin released from prison Texas plans to build a military base on the border with Mexico

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was convicted of corruption, has been released from prison on parole. Thai media published images on Sunday of the politician, who returned from exile six months ago, was picked up in a car from the police hospital and allowed to return to his private home for the first time in more than a decade. According to the judiciary, the 74-year-old met the parole condition because he is over 70 years old, suffers from a serious illness and has served six months of his one-year prison sentence. According to reports, the Southeast Asian country’s best-known politician is among 930 prisoners who have been released on parole.

The former head of government returned to his homeland on August 22, 2023 after 15 years in exile – and was immediately convicted by the Supreme Court. He was immediately taken to prison, but was taken to the police hospital shortly afterwards due to health problems. King Maha Vajiralongkorn eventually reduced Thaksin’s prison sentence from eight years to just one year. In Thailand, convicts over the age of 70 can apply for early release or a royal pardon.

Thaksin made his fortune in the telecommunications industry and was elected prime minister in 2001. He was deposed in a military coup in 2006 and later charged with corruption, abuse of power and contempt for the monarchy. He fled the country in 2008 and has since lived mainly in Dubai to avoid prison.

On the day he returned to Thailand, the candidate of the Pheu Thai party he founded, real estate entrepreneur Srettha Thavisin, was elected as the new prime minister. Srettha succeeds Prayuth Chan-ocha, who overthrew the previous Pheu Thai government of Thaksin’s sister Yingluck Shinawatra in a military coup in 2014. (sda/dpa)