Former Prime Minister Thaksin discharged from hospital to return home

Former Prime Minister Thaksin has left hospital for his family residence, as Thai officials say he will be released today.

Images on Thai media showed Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra getting into a car early this morning leaving the Police General Hospital in the capital Bangkok, where he has been receiving treatment for the past 6 months. The former prime minister wore a neck brace and sat next to his daughter. The car arrived at the family's Ban Chan Song La residence at 6:32 a.m., according to Thai PBS .

Winyat Chartmontri, Mr Thaksin's lawyer, said the early release procedure had been completed and the former prime minister was freed. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Mr Thaksin's daughter, confirmed that the former prime minister had returned home.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrives at his family residence in Bangkok on February 18. Photo: AFP — Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrives at his family residence in Bangkok on February 18. Photo: *AFP*

Mr. Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand in August 2023 and was arrested shortly afterward. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for abuse of power and pardoned by the Thai royal family, reducing his sentence to one year. Hours after arriving at the Bangkok prison, Mr. Thaksin was hospitalized and transferred to the Police General Hospital.

Many anti-Thaksin activist groups accuse him of preferential treatment and point out that he has not spent a single day in prison since his return. The Department of Corrections has previously said that Thaksin suffers from serious health conditions and would be in danger of death if he were to return to prison.

Thai Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong announced earlier this week that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in a group of people with poor health or who are over 70 years old and will be automatically released after serving six months of his sentence. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on February 17 that Thaksin will be released from prison early on February 18.

However, Mr Thaksin is still at risk of being arrested again, as prosecutors are considering indicting the former prime minister on charges of insulting the monarchy in a 2015 interview.

Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, AFP )

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