Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been granted a royal pardon, reducing his jail sentence to a year just days after he returned to the country from exile.
The announcement was published Friday on the website of the Royal Thai Government Gazette. The statement explained that as Thaksin had served as prime minister, contributing to the country and its people, he was deserving of the pardon.
“His Majesty the King, then, kindly gave him a royal pardon that cut his jail penalty to one year,” rather than eight years, the royal gazette said
Thaksin submitted a request for the pardon on Thursday, according to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam.
A 74-year-old telecom tycoon, Thaksin had returned to Thailand by private jet on Aug. 22, after living in self-imposed exile for 15 years. He greeted supporters before being moved to a prison to serve his sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest. The allegations stem from his time in office, from his 2001 landslide election until his ouster in a military coup in 2006.
Almost immediately after being taken to jail, Thaksin was moved to the Police Hospital overnight for medical treatment, due to heart and lung problems.
Thaksin’s return to the country came the same day Parliament elected Srettha Thavisin as prime minister. Srettha hails from the Pheu Thai Party founded by Thaksin.—APP
