The Epic Saga of "Thaksin" Returns to Thailand, Serves Sentence, and Regains Freedom

Revisiting the epic saga of "Thaksin": Return to Thailand, serve sentence, regain freedom.

One chapter in Thai political history is nearing its conclusion. The journey of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra since his decision to return to Thailand on August 22, 2023, has been filled with significant turning points. These include his entry into the judicial process, his medical treatment on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital, his parole, and his return to prison by a Supreme Court order before being released on parole again on May 11, 2026.

Immediately upon his return to Thailand, Thaksin appeared before the media and his supporters before entering the sentencing process for three old cases: the case of using nominees to hold shares in Shin Corporation Public Company Limited, the corruption case involving the two- and three-digit lottery project, and the case of ordering Exim Bank to grant a 4-billion-baht loan to the Myanmar government. The total sentence was eight years' imprisonment before being reduced to one year due to a royal pardon.

However, on the very first night of serving his sentence in Bangkok Special Prison in the late hours of August 22-23, 2023, Mr. Thaksin's illness worsened, and he was admitted to the Police General Hospital for treatment. He remained there for over six months, from August 23, 2023, to February 17, 2024. Throughout this period, he was virtually invisible to the public. The only image circulating online showed officials pushing his hospital bed down a hallway in front of the Maha Bhumibol Rajanuson 88th Anniversary Building for a CT scan and MRI.

Subsequently, Mr. Thaksin was granted special parole due to his age (over 70), illness, and having served at least one-third of his sentence. He was released back to his residence on February 18, 2024, amidst images of him wearing neck and arm braces.

However, the issue of his treatment on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital became a crucial catalyst leading to "Part 2 of Imprisonment." This followed the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions' order to "enforce the sentence" anew, ruling that the process of transferring him for medical treatment outside of prison was not in accordance with the law. As a result, the period of treatment did not count towards his sentence, and he had to return to prison to complete the remainder of his sentence, which had been reduced to one year under the royal pardon.

On September 9, 2025, Mr. Thaksin was returned to Bangkok Special Prison before being transferred to Klong Prem Central Prison as a convicted prisoner. During his sentence, he was allowed family visits twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. From the first visit on September 15, 2025, until the last visit on May 7, 2026, family and close associates visited a total of 61 times.

Regarding the latest parole application, although it was approved by all three levels of committees—the prison, the Department of Corrections, and the Ministry of Justice—the conditions differ significantly from the first time. Mr. Thaksin must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet (EM) until his release date. He is required to report to a probation officer once a month for four months. Failure to comply with the conditions may result in immediate return to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Upon his release on September 9, 2026, the Department of Corrections will issue two "certificates of release" to confirm his legal release. One copy will be used for identification by government agencies or for criminal background checks, while the other will be kept as evidence within the prison.

Although his sentence is nearing its end, Mr. Thaksin still has one significant case pending appeal: charges under Section 112 of the Criminal Code and the Computer Crime Act stemming from an interview he gave to South Korean media in 2015. The lower court acquitted him, but the prosecution appealed on November 28, 2025. The outcome of this case remains to be seen.

Photo : Yanawut Samphaothong