Michelle ThompsonThailand’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered former Prime Minister and billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra to serve one year in prison, marking a dramatic development for the controversial political figure.
Thaksin, 76, served as prime minister from 2001 until he was removed in a military coup in 2006. After 15 years in self-imposed exile, he returned to Thailand in 2023 and was sentenced to eight years in prison for conflict of interest, abuse of power, and corruption during his tenure.
Despite the sentence, Thaksin initially avoided jail, serving his term in a luxury hospital suite in Bangkok after citing chest tightness, high blood pressure, and low oxygen levels. Later, King Maha Vajiralongkorn reduced his sentence to one year, and he was released on parole in February 2024 after six months.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that Thaksin’s extended hospital stay was unlawful, ordering him to serve his sentence at Bangkok Remand Prison. Footage from Reuters showed a convoy reportedly transporting Thaksin to the prison.
Questions have been raised about whether Thaksin received special treatment. Many analysts speculate that he may have reached an agreement with Thailand’s conservative and royalist establishment to secure a reduced sentence, lenient conditions, or potential pardon in exchange for his return. Notably, he returned the same day his family’s political party resumed control of the government. Thaksin denies any such arrangement.
The Supreme Court determined that Thaksin’s hospital stay did not count as time served, noting that his medical conditions could have been managed as an outpatient. “The defendant benefited from remaining in the hospital without having to return to custody at Bangkok Remand Prison until his eventual release,” the court said. In June, Thailand’s medical council suspended two doctors for issuing false medical documents that allowed Thaksin to serve his sentence in hospital; a prison doctor was also cautioned for failing to meet medical standards.
After the verdict, Thaksin stated on social media that he accepted the decision. “Today I choose to look forward, letting all past matters come to a resolution,” he wrote. “Though I may lack physical freedom, I still have the freedom of thought for the benefit of the nation and people.”
Outside the court, his daughter and former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed that the family remained in good spirits and pledged that the Pheu Thai party would continue its political work as the opposition. Supporters also gathered outside the court.
One supporter, Oy, 64, told CNN tearfully that without Thaksin’s universal healthcare program, her husband would not have received life-saving heart surgery.
Setback for a Political Dynasty
Thaksin attended court to hear the verdict but flew to Dubai on Thursday—where he spent much of his exile—on his private jet for a “health check-up,” sparking speculation that he had fled Thailand. The ruling marks the final of three judgments against the powerful Shinawatra family, which has dominated Thailand’s volatile political landscape for more than 20 years.
Recently, Thaksin survived a lese majeste case that could have sent him to prison for up to 15 years. His daughter, former Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, faced a harsher outcome: she was removed from office less than two weeks ago over a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s former leader that breached ethics rules.
Over the past quarter-century, Thaksin built one of Thailand’s most prominent political dynasties, with allied candidates winning nearly every election since 2001. Yet the dynasty has long faced opposition from the Thai establishment, which—with support from the military and courts—has frequently toppled or blocked Shinawatra-led governments.
Even during exile, Thaksin remained an influential political figure behind the scenes. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra led the government until a court ruling ended her tenure, followed by the 2014 military coup, and Thaksin’s brother-in-law also held office briefly during that period. Many analysts now believe the family’s power has waned, and their long-dominant political machinery may be losing momentum.
Thailand is at a critical turning point. For the past two decades, the country was largely governed by the Shinawatras, their allies, or the military. That changed last week when the Pheu Thai Party was ousted from government.
Veteran politician Anutin Charnvirakul won a parliamentary vote to replace Paetongtarn as Thailand’s next prime minister, marking the third leadership change in just two years. The former interior minister, known for leading Thailand’s legalization of cannabis, officially assumed office on Sunday following royal endorsement from King Vajiralongkorn.
Emily Martinez
