Thai top court orders former PM Thaksin to return to prison

BANGKOK — Thailand's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was unlawfully allowed to stay in hospital detention and should return to prison to complete his sentence.

The court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions concluded that Thaksin's six-month hospital stay cannot be counted as time served for a one-year sentence.

"The time spent at a police hospital cannot be deducted as days of imprisonment," the court statement said.

"The defendant knew the facts or was aware the situation was not a critical emergency. The defendant only had a chronic condition that could be treated as an outpatient and did not require hospitalization," it said.

Thaksin arrived at the court for the ruling, scheduled at 10 am, with his youngest daughter and former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, along with other family members and his lawyer.

In his social media post, Thaksin said he humbly accepted and was ready to enter the judicial process following the verdict.

He acknowledged that, although all the cases arose after the 2006 military coup against his government, he wished to look forward and let everything in the past come to a resolution.

Speaking outside the courthouse after the verdict, Paetongtarn sought to reassure the public about the good spirits of her father and their family while acknowledging the difficulty of the situation.

She affirmed that her Pheu Thai Party would continue its work, moving forward as the opposition to scrutinize the government on behalf of the people.

She added that morale within the party is high and thanked the public for standing by them throughout the ordeal.

Thaksin returned to Thailand in August 2023 after over 15 years of self-imposed exile. Upon arrival, he was taken into custody to serve an eight-year sentence on three convictions involving corruption and abuse of power.

After serving less than a day in jail, he was transferred from a Bangkok prison to the Police General Hospital, citing critical health concerns.

Thaksin's prison sentence was later reduced to one year, following his request for a royal pardon. He was released on parole in February 2024, six months after his return to the country.

The 76-year-old served as the Southern Asian nation's prime minister from 2001 to 2006.

Xinhua - Agencies