The duration of the penalty for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been reduced by King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. Instead of being in prison for eight years, Thaksin will only have to stay for one year. This is surprising and ends a long political story.
Thaksin, the leader of a famous political family, recently came back to Thailand after being away for 15 years. The country’s justice minister has confirmed that he has asked for a royal pardon.
A message posted in Thailand’s official journal on Friday stated that the King has recognized Thaksin’s request and, “with his kindness, he has shortened Thaksin Shinawatra’s prison sentence to one year. ”
The statement said that it considered Thaksin’s service to the country, loyalty to the monarchy, and his confession and regret for his past actions.
“He was once the leader of Thailand, and during his time, he helped the country and its people. ” And when he was accused and found guilty by the court of the mentioned prison sentence, he admitted to his actions and expressed regret, stated the announcement.
“He was ready to accept the punishment even though he was old and had health problems that needed treatment from special doctors. ”
The statement did not mention the specific time when Thaksin asked for a royal pardon. The king gave an order on August 31 and it was signed by the previous Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who used to be a military leader and removed a government that was previously led by Thaksin’s sister.
Thaksin, who is now 74 years old, served as the prime minister from 2001 until he was removed from power in a military takeover in 2006. He went back to Thailand for a short time in 2008 but then ran away from the country because he was found guilty of corruption.
Thaksin returned to Thailand on August 22 after running away for a while. He came back on a fancy airplane called a private jet. When he arrived in Bangkok, his family and fans were there to greet him.
He was arrested and given a punishment of eight years in jail by the highest court for doing things that were not fair and right while he was in charge. Thaksin was found guilty of the charges while he was away and unable to attend the trial.
Justice Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, who is leaving his position, told reporters on Thursday that he had received a letter from Thaksin asking for forgiveness from King Vajiralongkorn.
Wissanu, a experienced person who has lived through Thailand’s unstable politics and has worked in the government during Thaksin’s time and also with the military leaders afterwards, said that the request for a royal pardon will go forward and “will be handled following the rules. ”
“He said it all depends on the kindness of His Majesty. ”
After coming back to Thailand, Thaksin was put in prison. However, the next day he was taken to the hospital because he had chest discomfort, high blood pressure, and low oxygen levels. The Thai Corrections Department explained that his heart disease couldn’t be treated at the prison hospital and he required care from specialists.
Only a few hours after reaching Thailand, the parliament selected Srettha Thavisin from the Pheu Thai party to become the country’s 30th prime minister.
In order to get enough votes in parliament, Pheu Thai joined forces with two political parties supported by the military. These parties have connections to the military group that overthrew Pheu Thai’s government, which was chosen by the people and led by Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s sister, almost ten years ago.
Pheu Thai is a new political party started by Thaksin from the powerful Shinawatra family. They have been a strong force in Thai politics for two decades.
Some experts think that Thaksin may have made an agreement with the influential conservative and royalist group in the country, allowing him to come back despite his convictions and charges. In return, they may have given him a shorter prison sentence, more lenient treatment, or a chance for forgiveness.
Thaksin has said that he did not make this agreement.
However, it is important to notice that the king made the decision quickly.
In Thailand, prisoners can ask the justice minister for forgiveness from the king. The minister then sends the request to the prime minister, who finally gives it to the king for his decision.
The temporary government, led by the current prime minister who came to power through a coup in 2014, only has a short time left before the new government takes over. The new prime minister is a friend of Thaksin and his name is Srettha.
A divisive person, Thaksin is a very wealthy businessperson in the telecommunications industry. He gained his political influence by implementing policies that were liked by the rural poor in Thailand who make up most of the country’s population. However, the country’s wealthy and conservative people strongly disagreed with his policies and accused Thaksin of being a dangerous and corrupt leader who catered to the needs of the general public.