Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra must spend one year in prison over a corruption and abuse of power conviction.
The court ruled that Thaksin Shinawatra had not properly served his sentence, stating that the months he spent in a luxury ward at a police hospital could not be counted as prison time.
Thaksin, who once built one of Thailand’s strongest political dynasties, was removed from power in a military coup in 2006.
He spent 15 years abroad in self-imposed exile before returning in 2023, shortly after his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, became prime minister.
Upon his return, his corruption sentence was reduced.
In early 2024, Thaksin was granted parole after spending only a short time in hospital custody, a move that sparked criticism and accusations of preferential treatment.
The Shinawatra family has faced further turmoil, with Paetongtarn herself removed from office just last month after a constitutional court ruling linked to a leaked call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen that triggered widespread backlash.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra accompanied her 76-year-old father to court on Tuesday.
Speaking afterward, she admitted concerns about his health but praised his political legacy.
“I’m worried about my father, but I’m also proud that he has created so many historic moments for the country,” she said. “It’s quite tough, but of course we are still in a good spirit, both my father and our family.”
Shinawatra also described her father as a lasting spiritual figure in Thai politics, adding that his focus has always been on serving the people.
Thaksin’s current legal woes trace back to his years in power between 2001 and 2006, when he was accused of abusing authority.
After returning from exile, the former PM was sentenced to eight years for corruption and abuse of office.
That punishment was later reduced to a single year through a royal pardon from King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
However, Thaksin Shinawatra spent less than a day in an actual prison cell before being transferred to hospital on medical grounds, where he remained until his release.
KanyiDaily recalls that a Colombian judge recently sentenced former President Álvaro Uribe to 12 years of house arrest after finding him guilty of witness tampering, according to a legal source.
