Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will serve one year in jail.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, stated that time Thaksin spent in a luxury ward at the Police General Hospital did not count as prison time.
Judges maintained that the 76-year-old politician had failed to serve part of his corruption sentence properly.
Thaksin, once one of Thailand’s most powerful leaders, was ousted in a 2006 coup and lived in self-imposed exile for 15 years.
He returned dramatically in 2023, after his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra became prime minister.
Soon after, he was convicted on corruption and abuse of power charges and handed an eight-year prison term.
That punishment was later reduced to a single year following a royal pardon by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
However, Thaksin spent less than 24 hours in a prison cell before being moved to hospital, citing health issues.
He was eventually freed on parole in early 2024, sparking outrage and claims of preferential treatment.
The court’s new order effectively reverses his lenient parole status, reigniting debate on whether influential figures in Thailand face the same justice as ordinary citizens.
Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn, who was recently removed from office after a controversial constitutional court ruling, appeared by his side in court.
Expressing both concern and pride, she said:
“I’m worried about my father, but I’m also proud that he has created so many historic moments for the country. It’s quite tough, but of course we are still in a good spirit, both my father and our family.”
She further described him as a “spiritual leader in Thai politics” who continues to think about “working for the good of the country and the Thai people.”
This latest Thaksin Shinawatra jail sentence is expected to stir political unrest in a nation already grappling with leadership instability.
His daughter’s removal from office last month after a leaked phone call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen only deepened divisions.
