Thailand’s top court orders ex-Premier Thaksin Shinawatra to serve 1 year in prison

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Thailand’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to serve one year in prison over convictions for corruption and abuse of power, Thai Public Broadcasting Service reported.

Thaksin was removed from power in a military coup in 2006 and lived in self-imposed exile, primarily in Dubai, for several years. Upon his return to Thailand in 2023, he was quickly tried, convicted of corruption and abuse of power during his tenure, and sentenced to eight years in prison.

After Thaksin requested a royal pardon, the Thai king reduced his sentence to one year. However, he spent less than a day in prison before being transferred to the Police General Hospital due to health complaints.

He remained there for six months before being granted parole and returning to his home in Bangkok. The latest legal issue revolved around the legality of his hospital transfer and whether his health concerns were genuine.