The Corrections Department says the release on parole of Thaksin Shinawatra is in line with the law. The department issued a statement to clarify matters after the former PM’s release caused some raised eyebrows, to say the least.
Thaksin returned to the kingdom in August last year, having fled Thailand after being ousted by a military coup in 2006. He lived abroad in self-imposed exile for the next 15 years During that time, he was convicted for corruption and abuse of power while in government and sentenced in absentia by various military governments.
When he returned in August, he was met by the authorities and taken to the Supreme Court, where he was sentenced to 8 years in prison (subsequently reduced to 1 year by royal clemency). Later that night, he was removed from Bangkok Remand Prison and transferred to the Police General Hospital on the grounds of “ill health”. He remained there until his release at the weekend, meaning he hasn’t spent a single night in jail.
Despite this, the Corrections Department says Thaksin is eligible for parole on the grounds of his age (the former PM is 74 years old), his ill-health, and the fact that he has served at least half his sentence (albeit in a hospital, not a prison).
The department says a parole committee, comprising representatives from the Probation Department, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Provincial Administration Department, and the Royal Thai Police, reviewed who should be recommended for parole.
A list of names was then submitted to the Corrections Department and then to a parole sub-committee. Following this, the list was submitted to the Justice Minister for his approval and then sent back to the Corrections Department. In other words, there have been a lot of eyes on this list.
The Corrections Department says it wants to reassure the public that Thaksin’s release was above board.
Meanwhile, Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has taken to Instagram to share a photo of her father sitting outdoors – seemingly to make up for the fact that he hasn’t seen sunlight or been in the fresh air for 180 days.
PHOTO: Instagram/Paetongtarn Shinawatra
SOURCE: Thai PBS World
