BANGKOK 鈥 Thailand鈥檚 influential former Prime Minister (PM) Thaksin Shinawatra was sent to prison on Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled his time in hospital detention was an attempt to avoid jail, a major blow for a powerful family that has dominated politics for two decades.
The polarizing billionaire had spent only a few hours in prison upon his return from 15 years of self-exile in August 2023 before he was hospitalized after complaining of heart trouble and chest pains, prompting widespread skepticism and public outrage.
His eight-year sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power while premier from 2001-2006 was commuted to one year by the King and Mr. Thaksin was released on parole after just six months of detention, the entirety of which he had spent in the VIP wing of a hospital.
The judges on Tuesday said Mr. Thaksin had no severe illness and could have been treated in jail, adding both he and his doctors had intentionally prolonged his hospital stay.
鈥淭he defendant knew the facts or was aware the situation was not a critical emergency. The defendant only had a chronic condition that could be treated as an outpatient and did not require hospitalization,鈥 it said.
A corrections department vehicle carrying Mr. Thaksin was seen arriving at a Bangkok jail less than an hour after a ruling that has gripped the country, the latest drama in two weeks of political chaos that saw the fall of another Thaksin-backed populist government.
The 76-year-old powerbroker is experiencing a period of political reckoning after his daughter and prot茅g茅 Paetongtarn Shinawatra was sacked as prime minister by a court on Aug. 29 鈥 the sixth premier from or backed by the Shinawatra family to be removed by the judiciary or military.
Ms. Paetongtarn鈥檚 government fell on Friday, outmaneuvered by challenger Anutin Charnvirakul, who was elected premier by parliament in a humiliating defeat for Mr. Thaksin鈥檚 once unstoppable Pheu Thai party, which won five of the past six elections.
Mr. Thaksin, who has loomed large over Thai politics throughout a quarter of a century of turmoil, is Thailand鈥檚 first former premier to be sent to prison.
鈥楬ISTORIC DAY鈥
He accepted the verdict and said he would remain strong.
鈥淭oday, I may no longer have freedom, but have freedom of thought to create benefit for the country and people,鈥 Mr. Thaksin said in a statement on social media.
Mr. Thaksin鈥檚 immediate family attended the verdict with him. An emotional Ms. Paetongtarn said she was concerned about her father, but also proud.
鈥淢y dad has created history for the country, including useful policies that benefited the people,鈥 she told reporters.
鈥淭oday is another historic day where he is the first prime minister to go to jail. This is quite heavy.鈥
Kokaew Pikulthong, a Pheu Thai party lawmaker who was in the courtroom, said Mr. Thaksin took the verdict well.
鈥淗e still has the fighting spirit,鈥 he added.
Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science professor at Ubon Ratchathani University, said that despite the jailing and Shinawatra family鈥檚 declining influence, the indomitable Thaksin would still attempt to call the shots in politics.
鈥淓ven with the one-year sentence, it doesn鈥檛 mean that he would completely withdraw from politics. He鈥檒l still likely play a role within Pheu Thai,鈥 he said.
鈥淚 still have doubts that he would spend the whole year in jail, as there are still legal ways to cut his sentence. And we have seen that he did try everything to stay out of jail.鈥 鈥 Reuters
