Who Is Thaksin Shinawatra? Thailand’s Top Court Orders Former PM to Spend A Year in Jail

Thailand Supreme Court has ruled for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return to prison, ending what some believed was a “VIP treatment” phase of his detention, CNN reported on Tuesday. The 76-year-old billionaire and political heavyweight had spent months at a hospital instead of behind bars.

According to NHK World, the country’s top court ordered Thaksin to serve the remainder of his sentence at the Bangkok Remand Prison.

From Power to Exile, and Back Again

Thaksin rose to power in 2001 and remained prime minister until he was ousted in a military coup in 2006. He spent 15 years in self-imposed exile – mostly in Dubai – before returning to Thailand in 2023. Upon his return, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for conflict of interest, abuse of power and corruption, reports suggest.

The sentence was later reduced to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and Thaksin was released on parole after six months. However, he served his parole not inside a cell, but in a luxury hospital suite, which in turn drew widespread criticism.

‘Special Treatment’ Under Scrutiny

Despite reported health issues including chest tightness and low oxygen levels, Thaksin’s hospital stay raised eyebrows. In June, two doctors were reportedly suspended for issuing false medical documents. A prison doctor was also reprimanded for improper referrals, Reuters reported.

In the latest ruling, the court said that his time in hospital does not count as time served.

Political Influence and Fallout

Though essentially absent on the frontlines, Thaksin remained an influential figure nonetheless, with many believing that he cut a deal with the conservative establishment for a safe return and leniency, a claim that he has denied since.

His return in 2023 coincided with his Pheu Thai Party forming a new government. However, things unraveled quickly, with his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently removed from office by the Constitutional Court even as Thaksin himself  narrowly avoided jail in a lese majeste case.

Last week, Anutin Charnvirakul became Thailand’s new prime minister, effectively narrowing Shinawatras’ influence.

A Dynasty Diminished?

Once the face of Thailand’s most powerful political dynasty, Thaksin, analysts say, now finds himself back in legal crosshairs, with his family’s grip on power seemingly weakening.