Thailand’s Corrections Department has agreed to let Thaksin Shinawatra extend his stay at the Police General Hospital. The convicted former PM is currently undergoing treatment for a number of medical conditions and doctors had sought an extension to his hospital stay.
Thai PBS World reports that there has been no information forthcoming in relation to how long the extension will be. The order was signed on Saturday, October 21, 24 hours before the former PM’s stay reached Day 60 since his return and subsequent arrest.
Thaksin’s stay in a hospital room has been slammed by many as an example of double standards, with activists saying that since his return to the kingdom after his 15 year self-imposed exile, the former PM hasn’t spent a full day in prison. Anti-Thaksin groups are calling on doctors to clarify what illnesses he is being treated for and why he can’t receive treatment at the hospital run by the Corrections Department instead.
On his return to Thailand on August 22, Thaksin was met by police and escorted to prison to begin an 8 year term on 3 convictions. Shortly after, however, he was moved to the Corrections Department hospital due to an unspecified illness, before being transferred to the Police General Hospital.
The following month, he received a Royal commutation, which reduced his prison sentence from 8 years to one. Other reports suggest he could be released from jail as soon as January next year.
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
