Thailand ex-PM Thaksin jailed after court rejects hospital stay

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was sent to prison on Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled that his prolonged stay in hospital was an unlawful attempt to avoid serving his sentence. Thaksin, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon who served as premier from 2001 to 2006, returned to Thailand in August 2023 after 15 years in self-exile. Within hours of entering prison, he claimed heart trouble and chest pains, which led to his transfer to the VIP wing of a hospital. He spent his entire six-month detention there before being released on parole, prompting public outrage over what many viewed as preferential treatment.

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Originally sentenced to eight years for conflicts of interest and abuse of power, Thaksin’s punishment was reduced to one year by royal pardon. However, the Supreme Court declared he had no life-threatening illness and could have been treated as an outpatient. Judges said both he and his doctors knowingly extended his hospital stay without justification. Shortly after the verdict, Thaksin, aged 76, was escorted back to jail in Bangkok. The ruling has stunned a nation already reeling from two weeks of political turmoil that saw his daughter and ally Paetongtarn Shinawatra removed from the premiership.

Thaksin Shinawatra’s return to jail marks a new chapter in Thailand’s political upheaval. His daughter Paetongtarn, who briefly served as prime minister, was dismissed by court order on August 29, making her the sixth leader from the Shinawatra family or its allies to be removed by military or judicial intervention. Days later, parliament voted to install Anutin Charnvirakul as the new premier, dealing a heavy blow to Thaksin’s Pheu Thai party, which has won five of the past six general elections. Despite this, Thaksin remains a towering figure whose influence has shaped Thai politics for a generation.

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Thaksin responded to the ruling by accepting the outcome and vowing to remain strong. In a statement, he said that while he had lost his freedom, he still had the “freedom of thought to create benefit for the country.” His daughter Paetongtarn described the moment as historic, noting he was the first Thai premier ever jailed, but also expressed pride in his past policies that helped ordinary citizens. Political observers believe Thaksin will continue to exert influence from behind bars and may still find legal ways to shorten his sentence. For many, his imprisonment underscores both his resilience and the enduring divides in Thailand’s turbulent politics.