Thai king commutes former PM Thaksin’s jail sentence to 1 yr

AFP

Thailand’s king has commuted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s eight-year jail sentence to 1 yr, the royal gazette stated on Friday, a day after the billionaire submitted a request for pardon.

The nation’s most well-known politician returned to Thailand final week in a dramatic homecoming after 15 years overseas in self-exile to keep away from jail time after he was ousted by the army in 2006.

He arrived on a personal jet and was transferred to jail to serve an eight-year sentence on prices of abuse of energy and conflicts of curiosity from throughout his time in energy. On the primary night time, he was moved to a police hospital over chest pains and hypertension.

On Thursday he submitted a request for a royal pardon.

Thaksin “was a prime minister, has done good for the country and people, and is loyal to the monarchy,” the royal gazette stated on Friday.

“He respected the process, admitted his guilt, repented, accepted court verdicts. Right now he is old, has illness that needs care from medical professionals,” it learn.

Despite being away for 15 years, Thaksin stays an influential determine in Thai insurance policies with events loyal to him profitable each election since 2001 till this yr.

His return overshadowed a vote in parliament that put in political ally Srettha Thavisin of the Shinawatra-backed Pheu Thai get together, as prime minister.

Srettha, an actual property tycoon, obtained help from pro-military and conservative events linked to the identical generals who ousted Thaksin’s governments in 2006 and 2014.

Thaksin’s return and time in hospital have fuelled hypothesis that he has struck a cope with these very rivals among the many nation’s highly effective generals and conservative outdated cash elites – one thing he and the Pheu Thai get together deny.

He stays hospitalised, with authorities citing the necessity for specialists and superior medical tools for his therapy.

“It is his majesty’s grace that showed Thaksin mercy,” the previous chief’s lawyer Winyat Chatmontri advised Reuters, referring to King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

“Thais should accept and not criticise this outcome because it could be considered a violation of royal power,” he stated.

Thailand’s strict royal insult regulation shields the monarchy from criticism, carrying a jail sentence of as much as 15 years.